Ugandan artists are among the beneficiaries of a 50 billion Ugandan shilling ($14m) COVID-19 relief fund set aside by the government to support vulnerable people in urban areas.
The relief fund was announced this week by Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi, whose ministry has been tasked with identifying vulnerable groups together with the Office of the Prime Minister.
Beneficiaries will be selected from 13 categories, one of which will cater for artists like musicians, comedians, producers and promoters.
The relief fund targets more than 500 000 households in the Kampala metropolitan area as well as in other cities and municipalities. The Kampala metropolitan area covers Kampala and parts of the Wakiso, Mukono and Mpigi districts, whose daily business activities have been disrupted by a 42-day lockdown directive that President Yoweri Museveni issued on 19 June.
Each household will get enough money to purchase 20kg of maize flour, 10kg of beans, a bar of soap and three litres of cooking oil. Some 20 000 Ugandan shillings will also be given to each household for other items at home.
Beneficiaries will receive the funds via mobile money or at Post Bank mobile vans in cases of registration discrepancies.
“The Kampala Capital City Authority executive director, all clerks and municipality town clerks will be responsible for the integrity of data,” Amogi said. “To enhance monitoring and support supervision, ministers, MPs, resident district commissioners and integrity officers will supervise the identification, registration and payment of beneficiaries.”
Download the full press statement attached below (in PDF).
