Museveni’s Minister Wants the Poor Ugandan citizens Beaten To Become Rich

Uganda’s Minister of State for Microfinance, Haruna Kasolo, has urged the government to enact legislation that would involve disciplining the “lazy-poor” citizens in order to instill a work ethic and enable them to achieve wealth. Minister Kasolo made these remarks while addressing members of the Kayunga Muslim District Sacco during a meeting at the Kayunga District headquarters.

The purpose of the meeting was to educate members about the importance of saving and familiarize them with the concept of Muslim banking ahead of the Sacco’s inauguration ceremony later this month, which will be attended by President Museveni. The Muslim Sacco operates in accordance with the principles of Islamic banking, which prohibits the payment and receipt of interest, but promotes profit sharing.

Minister Kasolo expressed his disappointment on Tuesday, stating that some Muslims had misinterpreted the principle of Islamic banking, believing that it exempted them from repaying loans with any interest. He clarified that Islamic banking only forbids the payment and receipt of interest, but still allows for profit sharing.

Furthermore, the former Kyotera County MP criticized the mismanagement of the Emyooga funds by beneficiaries in the Buganda region, contrasting it with the success of the program in western Uganda. He emphasized the importance of embracing a saving culture and announced his commitment to monitoring the Parish Development Model (PDM) program nationwide. He warned that any official found embezzling funds would face arrest and prosecution.

Sulaiman Madada, a Muslim leader in the district, addressed the gathering and highlighted how Islamic banking promotes financial inclusion. He also revealed that their Sacco has developed a strategic plan spanning five years, aimed at ensuring that Muslim leaders in the district have access to income-generating projects. The Sacco aims to have over 500 members.

It is worth noting that official government data indicates that more than 18 million Ugandans are currently living in poverty. Minister Kasolo suggested the possibility of passing a law in parliament to administer physical discipline to the “lazy-poor” individuals, with the intention of motivating them to work towards acquiring wealth. He made these remarks on Tuesday, emphasizing the perceived need to push certain Ugandans towards wealth accumulation.