Sheema
Sheema District Woman Member of Parliament aspirant Jacklet Rwabukurukuru Atuhaire has pledged to prioritise the welfare of widows in the district, saying they have long been sidelined from key government programmes intended to fight poverty. Atuhaire made the pledge yesterday while meeting widows from Kitagata, Rugarama, and Kasaana sub-counties, as well as Shuuku Town Council and Kitagata Town Council, under their association, the Sheema South Widows Association.
She noted that although the government has rolled out several initiatives aimed at improving household incomes, many widows continue to miss out due to limited access to information, weak organisation, and inadequate support systems. “Widows remain among the most vulnerable groups in our communities, yet they are often ignored when government programmes are being implemented,” Atuhaire said. “Many of them do not benefit simply because they are not organised or lack information on how to access these services.”
She added that if elected, her leadership would deliberately focus on ensuring widows are organised, economically empowered, and included in government planning and service delivery.
“My priority will be to bring widows together into strong associations so that they can speak with one voice and benefit from programmes meant to uplift households,” she said.
As part of her commitment, Atuhaire pledged Shs 15 million to each sub-county in Sheema South to support widows’ associations, aimed at strengthening income-generating activities and promoting collective savings.
She also urged widows to embrace unity and teamwork, saying strong associations would enhance their ability to advocate for their rights and improve their livelihoods.
Ovious Atuhaire, the association chairperson, said they are planning to open a SACCO to pool members’ savings and provide affordable loans to fund their development projects.
“We are planning to open a SACCO to pool members’ savings and provide affordable loans, which will help fund our development projects,” Ovious Atuhaire said.
Meanwhile, Sheema District LC V Chairperson Jemimah Buhanda has announced her support for Atuhaire’s bid for the Woman MP seat.
Buhanda, who was recently declared unopposed for the district chairperson seat for a second term, said she had withdrawn her support from the ruling party flag bearer, Adrine Katusiime Mwebesa, in favour of Atuhaire, citing her proven lobbying skills and contribution to service delivery in the district.
“I support leaders based on capacity and performance, not political flags,” Buhanda said. “Jacklet has demonstrated strong lobbying skills, which have directly improved service delivery in Sheema.”
She added that during Atuhaire’s tenure as district Woman MP, she successfully lobbied for several development projects and empowered women through skills training.
“She supported women with practical skills such as soap making and crafts, which enabled many to start income-generating ventures and improve their household incomes,” Buhanda said.
TORCH MEDIA AFRICA
