Uganda’s cooperatives seek over Shs500 million for national celebration
Some members from various cooperatives pose for a photo after their meeting in Fort Portal City on June 12, 2025. PHOTO/ALEX ASHABA
Organizers of Uganda’s national celebration of the International Day of Cooperatives have launched a campaign to raise more than Shs500 million ahead of the July 5 event slated for Fort Portal City, Tooro sub-region.
This year’s celebration, under the global theme “Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World,” will be co-hosted by Tooro Dairy Cooperative and Busaiga SACCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives.
At a planning meeting held Thursday in Fort Portal, Ms Mercy Mastula Kusemerwa, General Manager of Busaiga SACCO, said organizers are “racing against time” to raise the necessary funds to deliver a national event that showcases the transformative power of cooperatives.
“We have a budget of over Shs500 million. This time, we want to increase the visibility of cooperatives across the country, and about 30 percent will go to media and publicity,” Kusemerwa said. “We are calling on all cooperatives that wish to exhibit to contribute financially.”
She noted that President Museveni is expected to attend as Chief Guest, and that a memorandum highlighting challenges faced by the cooperative sector, particularly taxation, will be presented to him.
“Cooperatives play a vital role in socio-economic development. We’re appealing for tax holidays from government to strengthen their capacity,” she added.
The celebration will also serve as a platform for sectoral policy advocacy.
Mr Robert Asiimwe, Senior Institutional Development Officer at the Uganda Cooperative Alliance, stressed the importance of the event in rejuvenating the movement, especially among the youth.
“Cooperatives have improved livelihoods through sectors like agriculture, finance, and value addition. But most members are aging. We need to inspire the youth to take up the mantle and sustain the movement,” he said.
Organizers also announced that a “Cooperative Week” will precede the celebration, featuring community-driven activities including tree planting, medical donations, clean-up drives, and sports tournaments, all designed to deepen community engagement.
The International Day of Cooperatives, marked globally every July, recognizes the contributions of cooperatives to inclusive growth, social equity, and sustainable development. In Uganda, the cooperative movement has grown to include thousands of savings groups, dairy unions, and agricultural producers’ organizations.
Despite their impact, many cooperatives continue to grapple with limited financing, regulatory hurdles, and weak governance structures, issues organizers hope to spotlight during the national celebration in Fort Portal.
