JINJA: The Vice President and Woman MP for Katakwi district Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo has reminded older persons and their caretakers to prioritize the following categories of essential needs for them to age decently.
“I want to use this occasion to remind all older persons and their care takers in Uganda, that we have about six categories of older person’s needs, which they need to prioritize to maximize decent ageing and longevity.
They include: lifestyle, diet, keeping busy, exercising, keeping good company and sustainable basic income among others.
The vice president also urged older persons to keep busy, feed well, keep exercising and not get involved in alcoholism, smoking, adultery, drug abuse for them to age well. She explained that the above negative practices automatically overwhelm the body’s immune system.
The Uganda Population Census Report of 2024, puts the population of Older Persons at 5% (approximately 2.3 million Older Persons); and the life expectancy at 68.3 years, up from 43 years in 1986.
The report also indicates that most of the older persons in Uganda live in rural areas, where they depend on small-scale agriculture or support from their families.
Alupo told the older persons that while family support remains important in our culture, it is no longer enough given the changing economic realities.
She made the remarks as she delivered President Yoweri Museveni’s message on the occasion to mark the International Day of Older Persons at St. John Secondary School playground in Jinja district today, October 01, 2025.
The day was celebrated under the theme, “Enhanced Household incomes: a key to Dignity and Respect for Older Persons.”
Alupo noted that the NRM government remains steadfast in building upon the current gains to ensure that older persons are continuously honoured, respected, embraced and represented at all levels in society.
She emphasized that the elderly must be given opportunities and resources to live independently and with dignity. “The elderly should not be excluded from the government wealth creation funds for example; Emyooga, and Parish Development Model on account of their age,” the vice president said.
Alupo advised that older persons can be helped by their more energetic children and grandchildren to create wealth and jobs in the four sectors of commercial agriculture, industries, services and ICT.
She said the NRM government has put in place the necessary infrastructure to spur development. They include: the tarmacked roads, enough electricity supply, hospitals, schools, peace and stability, etc.
“Therefore, the remaining task is mobilising our people to take advantage of the existing infrastructure, to produce goods and services. It must also be understood that economic development belongs to the community as a whole, but wealth is for individuals, companies, or groups,” Alupo said.
She appealed to leaders to help our people to focus on increasing household incomes and creation of jobs now that Uganda enjoys peace and good infrastructure.
“The 33% of the households, still in subsistence farming i.e. working only for food (the stomach), must be integrated into the money economy,” she said.
Alupo highlighted that besides food, there are other demands like clothes, school fees, shelter, transport, that must be met too. She urged the people to commercialize agriculture for greater benefit saying it is paramount.
During the colourful occasion, the vice president, together with State minister for Disability Affairs Hellen Asamo and State minister for the Elderly Dominic Gidudu launched the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development toll-free line 166, on which older persons will be calling to report their concerns and abuses.
The officials also handed over a dummy cheque of ssh311m to some of the beneficiaries of the special enterprises grant for older persons for Busoga sub region for the financial year 2024/2025.
Asamo congratulated the elders of our nation, the men and women whose lifelong contributions for laying the foundation of the Uganda we live in.
Minister Gidudu congratulated all the older persons, in Uganda, for making it to this year’s celebrations in Jinja City. He appreciated government and the National Council for Older Persons and all leaders of Older Persons, for the several milestones achieved, in uplifting the welfare of all older persons in Uganda.
The event was also attended by Marcus Prior, the Deputy Country Director World Food Organisation who congratulated government and the elderly for the numerous achievements so far registered lives of older persons.
