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Senior Citizens Petition Museveni over Pension, Access to Health
By Patrick Jaramogi, New Vision
November 21, 2010
Uganda
The
older persons of
Uganda
have petitioned President Museveni to designate a special day for them to
access treatment in health centers across the country.
The older persons under their umbrella organisation, Uganda Reach the Aged
Association (URAA) also want a special seat for the older persons in
Parliament. According to the Uganda National Household survey (UNHS 2005/6
report), there are at least 1.2 million older persons in
Uganda
with 53% being female while 47% are male.
“It is not fair for us. The youth are recognized, the army, the disabled
and women why not us the old people who have served this country
diligently?” asked John Baluku.
The URAA chairperson Prof. Anthony Gingyera-Pinycwa said the overall
situation of older person in
Uganda
is still very depressing with majority of older persons living in abject
poverty.
“Only
7.1% of the older persons in
Uganda
have access to their pension, the rest require social protection through
some kind of assistance to enable them cope with this vulnerability,” he
said.
The URAA at their annual general meeting held at the Cardinal Nsubuga
leadership training institute in Nsambya on Sunday also demanded that
government supports the existing civil society organizing dealing with
older persons.
“The older persons in the informal sector are the poorest among the
poor. There is need for government intervention to provide National Old
Age Grants,” read the petition dated October 29th that New Vision
obtained.
The petition is signed by Ambassador Ignatius Katetegirwe, Hon. George Iga
Endayange, Peter Nyakatura and Jovia Bataka.
The older persons also described accessing credit in traditional financial
institutions and commercial banks as a “night mare”.
“Traditionally the older persons are supposed to be highly respected in
the Ugandan society, however the factors of urbanization, modernization,
individualism and migration have combined to undermine the older persons
socio-economic security and traditional levels of respect,” said Prof.
Gingyera.
“These need for affirmative action for older persons to access
Boonabaggagawale scheme,” said former Hoima Resident district
commissioner Cornelius Bakelura.
President Museveni’s private secretary in charge of the elderly Juliana
Bazuidenhout said the president was scheduled to meet the older persons to
hear their views.
“We got their petition and the President has promised to meet them and
hear their views. But it is important that they know that the National
policy for older persons is active while plans are underway to formulate
the National Council for Older persons,” she told New Vision.
Bazuidenhout said once the National Council of older persons comes into
force, all concerns of the older persons will be channeled and handled
through that council.
She said cabinet had discussed the paper and it was awaiting approval from
Parliament.
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