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Elderly Want Parliamentary Seat
By Charles Jjuuko,
the New Vision Online
October
5, 2008
Uganda
Elderly persons have asked President Yoweri Museveni to allow them be represented in Parliament.
The chairperson of the national network for older persons, Cam Peter Ayo, said this during the international older persons day held at Kitatya Primary School in Wabwoko sub-county, Kayunga district, last week.
“We want the Government to allow us elect five MPs who will represent us in the house as it is with other groups like the youth, disabled, women, the army and workers,” Ayo said.
He noted that this would enable the aged people fully participate in decision- making.
“The economic situation of the majority of older persons is low because few have the means of income generation,” Ayo said.
He noted that many of them lived in abject poverty and social deprivation.
He urged the Government to enable older persons access resources, such as the National Agricultural Advisory Services funds.
He also said some older persons have died waiting for their pension arrears and described the act as inhuman.
Museveni in his speech read by the third deputy prime minister, Kirunda Kivejinja, urged the ministry of education to consider the elderly in the training curriculum at all levels.
Museveni said the Government would soon start a grant scheme to target older persons, where the selected poor ones shall be given monthly payments to reduce poverty.
Museveni advised the youth to prepare them selves for old age by investing in profitable ventures to avoid living a miserable life.
The Minister of State for Elderly and Disability, Sulaiman Madada, said each year, the Government will give out prizes to older people.
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