Uganda Urged to Adopt Universal Social Security System as ISER Launches Report

Kampala- The Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), in partnership with RAISE, has today launched a groundbreaking working paper titled "A People's Pension," calling for urgent reforms in Uganda’s pension system and the adoption of a rights-based approach to social security.

The report, which compares social pension reforms across Africa, highlights critical gaps in Uganda's social protection landscape and proposes a universal, tax-financed pension system as a sustainable path forward.

The launch brought together key stakeholders from government, civil society, and development partners to push for reforms that expand coverage, strengthen legal frameworks, and improve the dignity of older persons.

Speaking at the event, Anna Bwowe, one of the lead researchers, emphasised that social protection is not a privilege, but a right.

“Social security is a human right—not a handout. It must be provided for in law and structured around four core principles: availability, accessibility, adequacy, and justifiability,” she said.

Currently, only Ugandans aged 80 years and above benefit from the government’s Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE). Stakeholders are now calling for a phased reduction in the eligibility age to at least 65 years, coupled with an increase in the monthly grant, which currently stands at Shs 25,000.

Steven Kasaija, from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, reiterated the need for a legal framework to institutionalise social protection. “There is currently no legal provision to guarantee social security. We hope this research will inform future legislation to change that,” he noted. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangers of lacking a robust social safety net, especially for those without savings.

Onapa Paul, also from the ministry , stressed that a proper legal framework would empower citizens to understand and claim their rights to social security.

The report’s findings debunk poverty targeting as an ineffective model for delivering social protection, citing the sliding scale of vulnerability that many older persons face. Instead, experts recommend a universal pension model, benchmarked on successful systems in countries like Namibia, Botswana, and Kenya.

John Orach, a senior advocate for older persons, highlighted that out of the 2.3 million Ugandans aged over 60, only about 20%—those over 80—currently benefit from SAGE. “Our policies recognise older persons as those aged 60 and above. The current budget has stagnated for three years. What we lack is not resources, but political will,” he said.

He also pointed to widespread documentation challenges, such as the lack of birth certificates, which hinder many elderly Ugandans from accessing available services.

Livingstone Ssebuyungu, another stakeholder, proposed doubling the SAGE cash grant to Shs 50,000 and reviewing it every three years in line with inflation and national priorities.

Drawing lessons from regional peers, participants noted that Kenya has gradually increased its social protection budget, and Namibia raised its monthly old-age grant to the equivalent of Shs 320,000—a model Uganda can aim toward over time.

Concluding the event, stakeholders made strong calls to action:

Enact a legal framework for social security.

Expand pension coverage and lower the SAGE eligibility age.

Increase and index the grant value to meet real needs.

Invest in public awareness to help older persons claim their rights.

Build political will to fund social protection as a national development priority.

As Uganda charts a path toward Vision 2040, participants agreed that universal social protection is not only achievable but essential to ensure that older citizens live with dignity and security.