President Museveni wants a Policy to safeguard Older Persons

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has proposed the development of a policy to safeguard older persons from threats to their wealth and strengthen social protection mechanisms for the elderly.

President Museveni made the remarks on Thursday while speaking during the commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons at State House, Entebbe, under the theme “Ageing with Dignity: Strengthening Care and Support Systems,”.

The President highlighted emerging threats faced by older persons, including exploitation by family members, undisciplined children and opportunists seeking to take advantage of their advanced age to take away their property and called for serious action against those who exploit and deprive older persons of their wealth.

President Museveni further emphasized that older persons should have productive assets such as land, livestock and buildings, which can provide them with a sustainable source of livelihood in old age and said government will continue complementing such individual efforts through socioeconomic empowerment programmes aimed at improving the welfare and sustainability of older persons.

The President advised parents to adopt modern wealth-preservation mechanisms and inheritance practices that safeguard family wealth for future generations.

President Museveni urged elderly parents to engage their families in discussions on the best ways of preserving and managing their estates, cautioning against dictatorial approaches that could limit knowledge-sharing and undermine the protection of family wealth.

He highlighted inheritance through shares and improved property-management systems as some of the mechanisms that can help preserve family wealth and prevent its gradual depletion.

The President also cautioned children against possessive and entitlement tendencies toward their elderly parents, urging families to respect and protect the rights and property of older persons and directed the training of more than 140 geriatricians for deployment across all districts in the country within the next three years.

Geriatricians are Medical Doctors specializing in the healthcare and treatment of older adults, with particular attention to their unique medical needs.

The directive follows a noted gap in specialized healthcare services for older persons, whose population is estimated at about 2.3 million, according to recent census data.

President Museveni says training and deploying specialists in geriatric medicine will help bridge the healthcare access gap and ensure older persons receive appropriate and specialized medical care closer to their communities and also advised older persons to prioritize healthy living by adhering to health guidelines, maintaining proper nutrition and engaging in regular physical exercise.

President Museveni has advised older persons in the country to embrace investment opportunities that are less labour-intensive and better suited to their age and cited ventures such as goat rearing and other income-generating activities that require less physical strain, urging older persons to choose investments that can sustain their livelihoods without exposing them to excessive labor.

The President has also defended the 10 percent allocation for older persons under the Parish Development Model and cautioning against any diversion of funds meant to support their economic empowerment and promised to meet with older persons soon and pledged to ensure adequate financial appropriation for their needs as the population of older persons continues to grow.

The President said he would take action on their concerns after the ongoing preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, which he noted have required significant government resources.

While speaking at the same event, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba, said that the National Resistance Movement Government is on course in its efforts to transform the welfare and livelihoods of older persons across the country.

Minister Lumumba said that the Government of Uganda has established socioeconomic empowerment and social protection initiatives aimed at supporting older persons as they advance in age.

She cites programmes such as the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment, SAGE, and the Parish Development Model, among other interventions, as key initiatives intended to improve household incomes and strengthen the economic wellbeing of older persons.

The Minister of State for Elder Persons, Hon Jackline Mbabazi, outlined government strategies aimed at strengthening the welfare and protection of older persons across the country.

The measures include establishing a health support scheme for older persons to address challenges in accessing healthcare services, protecting their property from opportunists who seek to exploit their vulnerability, and establishing wellness centres to provide regular health checks.

She also disclosed that the Government plans to establish legal support centres for older persons and ensure their access to the 10 percent allocation under the Parish Development Model.

Minister Mbabazi has also highlighted several government initiatives established to support older persons, including the SAGE programme, the Parish Development Model, group enterprises, and their representation at various levels of leadership.

Minister Mbabazi notes that support for older persons has progressively evolved, with government introducing policies, programmes and interventions aimed at improving their social protection, healthcare, economic empowerment and overall welfare.

The Ireland Ambassador to Uganda, Mags Gaynor, who spoke at the event, called for predictable and sustained investment in social protection for older persons, building on the robust systems already established in the country.

Ambassador Gaynor said that consistent financing is essential to strengthen existing social protection programmes and ensure that older persons can access the support and services they need with dignity and called for the fast-tracking of the National Policy on Ageing, alongside stronger action to address the challenges facing older persons in the country.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the National Council for Older Persons, Ann Muhindo Bakazimbaga, highlighted the growing population of older persons in Uganda and the need for increased government financing to match their increased needs.

Bakazimbaga notes that although funding for older persons has gradually increased over the years, the available resources remain insufficient to adequately address their social protection, healthcare and livelihood needs.

She said the existing funding gap continues to constrain interventions targeting older persons and sought President Museveni’s intervention to ensure increased and predictable financing for programmes supporting the elderly population.

The event was attended by a cross section of high profile guests who included Cabinet Minister, Ambassadors, selected district government and the Ministry technical staff.