By Weswa Ronnie
SIRONKO
State House Emyooga national team officers kicked off the recovery of Emyooga loan money in the Bugisu region on Tuesday, 6th October, 2026 that saw eight SACCO leaders arrested and others forced to pay during the operation.
The operation led by Rita Namuwenge, the National Emyooga Coordinator, kicked off in Sironko and Bulambuli Districts.
On the previous day, the Emyooga State House Team met RDCs, CAOs, commercial officers, and LCVs in Bugisu at Mbale City chambers to find ways of recovering Emyooga loan since the recovery is very poor.
On Tuesday morning before the operation, the team led by Namuwenge, had a pre closed-door meeting with the head of security in Sironko, the RDC Ephraim Denis Balwaniregha, and held a number of discussions.
During the meeting, Namuwenge told the RDC that they were going to visit each Emyooga SACCO in Sironko and Bulambuli to see if they really exist and to find out why repayment of the money has become a problem.
Rita told the RDC that they got information that some SACCO leaders have taken huge amounts of money, refused to pay it back, and have denied other members the opportunity.
After the meeting, the first visit was to Budadiri West Market Vendors Emyooga Association found in Sironko Town Council where they found that SACCO leaders had taken over 20 million shillings, denying other members an opportunity. This annoyed John Tulinawe, Head of Operations, Emyooga Coordination and Monitoring Unit, State House.
Tulinawe demanded that Swaibu Welikhe, the Vice Chairperson of the SACCO, and his fellow executive members pay back the loan immediately so that other members can also benefit.
Welikhe and his fellow leaders agreed to immediately pay 1.5 million shillings as they look for the rest of the money, which saved them from being arrested.
The national Emyooga team then proceeded to another SACCO, Budadiri West Constituency Mechanics Emyooga SACCO, also located at Sironko Town Council, where they found that SACCO leaders had taken over ten million shillings for five years without paying back.
According to Tulinawe, Fred Wanyala, the SACCO Chairperson, took five million shillings, Fred Zebolo, Secretary of the Loans Committee, also took 1.5 million shillings, and others took money as well.
He asked them to pay that money immediately and they failed, which forced him to order their arrest.
At Budadiri East Constituency Welder Savings and Credit Operatives Society, others were arrested including Abasa Wanyala, the SACCO Chairperson who took five million shillings, Jackson Wanyala, the SACCO Secretary who took five million, and Mulanga Twakha, the treasurer who also took five million and all have not yet paid back for five years now.
By press time, all were being detained at Sironko Central Police Station as investigations continue.
The operation is going to continue across the Bugisu region and Uganda at large to make sure that all the money people took under Emyooga is recovered for others to benefit.
