Government has delayed the planned expansion of the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme to older persons aged 65 years and above due to a Shs252 billion funding gap.
The Minister of State for Gender (Older Persons), Jaqueline Mbabazi, told Parliament on Wednesday that although Cabinet had approved the progressive reduction of the SAGE eligibility age from 80 to 65 years, the required funds were not provided for in the 2026/27 national budget.
Minister Mbabazi was presenting a statement on the commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons, which will be marked on October 1.
“Cabinet approved the progressive reduction of the programme’s eligibility age from 80 to 65 years to enable older persons to receive regular cash transfers. However, the expansion cannot take effect without the required funding,” Minister Mbabazi said.
Under the SAGE programme, government provides eligible older persons with a monthly cash grant of Shs25,000 to improve their income security and support dignified living.
Minister Mbabazi said government has disbursed Shs971.98 billion to a cumulative 515,405 older persons since the programme started.
During the 2025/26 financial year alone, she said, Shs99.64 billion was paid to 318,649 beneficiaries.
The minister also said an additional Shs5 billion approved by Cabinet for groups under the Special Enterprise Grant for Older Persons (SEGOP) was not provided for in the 2026/27 budget.
The SEGOP funds are intended to support groups of older persons to undertake income-generating and livelihood projects.
Minister Mbabazi said the unfunded SAGE expansion and the additional enterprise grants remain government priorities.
She said an inter-ministerial committee had been established to consider measures to improve the welfare of older persons, including a proposed medical insurance scheme for SAGE beneficiaries and an increase in the monthly grant from Shs25,000 to Shs35,000.
“This includes the proposed medical insurance scheme for SAGE beneficiaries and implementation of the increase in the monthly grant from Shs25,000 to Shs35,000,” she said.
As Uganda prepares to commemorate the International Day of Older Persons, Minister Mbabazi urged Parliament to continue advocating for improved welfare and social protection for older persons, who account for about five per cent of the country’s population.
She said the growing older population requires increased investment in social protection, specialised healthcare, rehabilitation, long-term care and community-based support.
Minister Mbabazi also highlighted challenges affecting older persons, including land grabbing, financial exploitation, physical violence, neglect, property dispossession and abandonment.
