The Ministry of Local Government has warned on bureaucracies, especially in government systems, that have greatly contributed to inefficiencies in intervention programs intended to empower citizens economically.

The Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, said in an interview with journalists on November 9, 2024, that he received a disaster preparedness pilot report on a cash transfer program that was implemented by giving directly in the Elgon region.

A program intended to reach 4000 families to benefit from USD 8.5 million to respond to climate change impacts with around UGX 7 million per household.

Magezi added that the government is trying to adopt a cash transfer program for the economic empowerment of its citizens in the country; however, extortionists can still penetrate the system to squeeze out needy citizens for their individual gains.

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He cited a government program (PDM) where beneficiaries are meant to surrender their private gains in order to benefit from a program intended to uplift their household incomes by the government.

“This UGX 3.5 million that we give directly is done when it can reach directly to the beneficiaries as it was; however, with PDM, I am still fighting with extortionists,” Magyezi said.

Magyezi asked Ugandans working in government or civil society organizations to do whatever it takes to avoid bureaucracies that halt government arrangements to shift the country’s economy upward, and mischiefs of some of the implementers credits give directly to scores highly.

Bureaucracies in government programs have put employees to perform below their expectations; besides that, they have put employees to poorly manage programs designed to achieve a goal in poverty-eradicating programs.