Justine Nameere, State Minister for Local Government and Masaka City Woman MP, has pledged to combat exploitative lending and lobby for affordable credit facilities to protect residents from crippling debts and property loss. Nameere said she would engage financial institutions and other stakeholders to explore ways of bringing lower-interest loan facilities to Masaka City, particularly targeting traders, small-scale entrepreneurs and low-income earners who struggle to access affordable financing.
Nameere made her remarks while addressing supporters in Nyendo, Masaka City, following a High Court ruling on October 21 that dismissed an election petition filed by her political rival, Rose Nalubowa. The court found that although irregularities occurred during a vote recount, Nalubowa had failed to prove they substantially affected the election outcome. The court ordered Nalubowa to pay the costs of the petition. Nameere said the legal dispute had affected her ability to concentrate fully on leadership responsibilities but that she was now ready to focus on residents' concerns.
She highlighted the distress caused by current lending practices, saying some residents struggled to repay loans from commercial and informal lenders due to high interest rates, with some facing the risk of losing their property. "We need financial institutions that can offer our people affordable loans at reasonable interest rates. Our traders and other residents should be able to borrow money to develop their businesses without being trapped in endless debts or losing the property they have worked so hard to acquire," Nameere said. She said affordable credit was important for supporting small businesses, creating jobs and improving household incomes.
Beyond credit access, Nameere pledged to address inadequate market facilities, education needs and the welfare of low-income earners dependent on street-based businesses. She also committed to lobbying for increased funding under the Parish Development Model, which channels revolving funds through parish-level savings and credit cooperative organisations. Government figures show that 4.4 trillion shillings had been transferred to 10,589 parishes nationwide by June 30, 2026. Nameere said additional resources would enable more beneficiaries to access financing, invest in productive ventures and reduce dependence on expensive borrowing.
In a message of reconciliation, Nameere called on Nalubowa and other political leaders who opposed her during the election to put aside differences and cooperate on issues affecting residents. She said political competition should not prevent elected leaders and their opponents from working together to improve service delivery. She urged authorities implementing government poverty alleviation programmes to ensure support reaches intended beneficiaries and translates into tangible improvements in household livelihoods.