RUBIRIZI, UGANDA — Residents of Rubirizi District have been urged to adopt a strong saving culture and invest in share capital to strengthen the growth and sustainability of Jubilee SACCO West Ankole Diocese.
The call was made by Ronald Mugisha, the General Manager of Jubilee SACCO West Ankole Diocese, during the regional pre–Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Katerera Branch held at Katerera Playground in Rubirizi District.
Mugisha emphasized that saving is key to achieving financial stability and economic independence. He noted that developing a culture of saving can empower individuals and families economically, enabling them to fight poverty, hunger, and domestic violence.
“Embracing a saving culture helps people build financial security and achieve their long-term goals,” Mugisha said.
He also thanked SACCO members for their continued support and pledged to work with staff to expand the institution through income-generating projects. Mugisha further committed to doubling efforts toward achieving the SACCO’s targets by 2026 and steering the organization toward sustainable growth.
Mugisha highlighted the SACCO’s performance over the past year, noting significant growth in membership and financial indicators. The SACCO currently boasts over 20,500 members, with total savings of Shs11 billion and share capital amounting to Shs4.342 billion. He added that the SACCO’s loan portfolio stands at Shs14.3 billion, while total assets have reached Shs17.6 billion. The institution recorded a net profit of Shs715 million, with loan disbursements totaling Shs22.68 billion.
However, Mugisha noted that the recent general elections affected savings and liquidity levels, which slowed the SACCO’s ability to meet its savings and loan disbursement targets. Despite these challenges, he said the SACCO continues to provide affordable and quality financial products and services that support the economic development of its members.
The Regional Chairperson of Jubilee SACCO West Ankole Diocese, Agrey Agaba, applauded members for their resilience, hard work, and commitment that contributed to the SACCO’s performance in 2025.
Agaba, however, pointed out several challenges affecting the SACCO, including multiple borrowing by members, price fluctuations, slow court processes, limited funds, and loan defaults. He explained that these challenges increase the cost of loan recovery through court processes and loan provisioning expenses, which negatively affect the SACCO’s profitability.
Meanwhile, the Katerera Branch Manager, Babra Atukwase, thanked the Rubirizi community for trusting and supporting Jubilee SACCO’s development initiatives.
Atukwase assured members that the branch remains committed to strengthening accountability and transparency through improved internal control systems. She also highlighted the SACCO’s efforts to promote environmental conservation through green financing initiatives, including support for climate-friendly projects, clean energy, and proper waste management.
She further encouraged parents to open savings accounts for their children, emphasizing the importance of introducing young people to a saving culture early in life, noting that encouraging children to save early is one way of securing their financial future.
The meeting served as a precursor to the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), where delegate members will gather to review the SACCO’s progress, discuss challenges, and outline future development plans.
