Sex workers in Masaka City have openly declared their support for President Yoweri Museveni ahead of his campaign rally scheduled to take place today at Liberation Square.
The declaration was made during a meeting that drew sex workers from across the Greater Masaka region. Participants said the country’s current peace and improved security have allowed them to earn a living without constant fear, something they say was not always guaranteed in the past.
The group credited the Museveni-led government for restoring stability, noting that the calm security environment has enabled them to work more freely and safely. They said peace remains the foundation of their daily survival and any future plans to improve their lives.
However, the sex workers also appealed to the government to go beyond security and extend economic empowerment programmes to their community. They explained that despite operating in a peaceful environment, many of them remain financially unstable and trapped in poverty.
One member told the gathering that while peace has created space for work, it has not automatically translated into better living conditions. She said support in skills training, small business funding and alternative income opportunities would help many transition into more sustainable livelihoods.
With guidance from the Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Kimaanya-Kabonera Division, Katumba Ssegawa, the group has taken steps toward financial independence by forming a Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation. The SACCO brings together more than 900 members from the Greater Masaka area and has so far saved 25 million shillings. Members are now seeking additional government backing to grow the initiative.
Florence Mpomo, the chairperson of sex workers in Masaka City, said the SACCO was created to confront long-standing economic exclusion faced by members. She noted that collective saving was a practical way of building financial discipline and opening doors to future investments.
Assistant RDC Katumba Ssegawa encouraged the group to remain united, saying organised communities are better positioned to benefit from government programmes. He urged them to stay focused, disciplined and ready to take advantage of opportunities aimed at poverty reduction.
Masaka City NRM Chairperson Rogers Bulegeya praised the group for speaking openly about their challenges and aspirations. He encouraged them to actively engage in government initiatives designed to promote household income growth and economic transformation.
Nyendo–Mukungwe Deputy RDC Mariam Kaberuka also commended the group for recognising government achievements, especially in the health sector, and called on them to continue supporting the NRM administration.
President Museveni is expected to address supporters from Masaka City and surrounding districts later today as part of his nationwide campaign tour, with local leaders saying the rally will focus on unity, development and economic empowerment.