RUKIGA: The Rukiga County Member of Parliament Hopeful, Counsel Kiconco Patrick Katabaazi, has vowed to advocate for lowering the age threshold for eligibility under the government’s Social Assistance Grant for the Elderly (SAGE) program.
Addressing members of the Kandago Elders Forum in Bukinda Subcounty, Rukiga District over the weekend, Katabaazi, a lawyer and former economist at the Parliament of Uganda, pledged to push for a reduction in the qualifying age from the current 80 years to 65.
Katabaazi recounted his involvement in the inception of the SAGE program between 2010 and 2012, when he partnered with Kyegegwa District Woman MP Flavia Kabahenda and then-Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga to lobby for its establishment.
The Government of Uganda launched the pilot phase of SAGE in 2010, later rolling it out countrywide in 2015.
Currently, every Ugandan aged 80 and above receives a monthly grant of Shs 25,000. However, Katabaazi noted that the original proposal was to begin support at age 65.
“I want to assure you that if elected as Member of Parliament for Rukiga, my first agenda will be advocating for the age limit to be revised downward from 80 to 65,” he told the elders.
He further pledged to push for an increase in the grant amount, arguing that the current rate no longer matches the rising cost of living.
“You cannot give elders the same Shs 25,000 that was introduced in 2015, because today the prices of essential goods and services have increased almost tenfold,” he said.
CUE IN KATABAAZI….ON SAGE……RR//
Katabaazi also emphasized the need for specialized medical care for the elderly. He promised to advocate for the recruitment of geriatric medical professionals at health facilities in Rukiga District.
“Our health centers need specialists such as gerontologists and geriatricians who understand the physical, emotional, and social needs of older adults,” he added.
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He applauded the Kandago Elders Forum for organizing themselves to collectively address the socio-economic challenges that come with aging.
“Older people are often excluded from employment, denied loans by banks, left out of insurance programs, and in many cases, socially isolated. This forum is a commendable initiative to mitigate those challenges,” said Katabaazi.
According to the forum’s Chairperson, George Twebembeirwe Tindiho, the Kandago Elders Forum comprises 115 senior citizens aged 60 and above. The group meets every Sunday to discuss socio-economic issues, and each member contributes Shs 5,000 as savings.
Twebembeirwe explained that part of the collected funds is issued as loans to members pursuing income-generating activities, while another portion is reserved for health-related emergencies common in old age.
