Rukungiri Municipality Announces Mandatory Verification for SAGE Beneficiaries

Rukungiri: The Rukungiri Municipality Principal Community Development Officer (PCDO) John Bosco Twesigomwe has revealed that people seeking to benefit from the SAGE program will undergo a mandatory proof of life (POL) verification exercise between late April and early May 2026 before being approved to receive payments.

According to Twesigomwe, the exercise will be conducted alongside the quarterly SAGE payments at selected payment points.

SAGE (Senior Citizens Grant) supports older persons aged 80 years and above in most districts (and 60 years and above in Karamoja), with each beneficiary receiving UGX 25,000.

Speaking from his office at the municipal council on March 23, Twesigomwe explained that Proof of Life is a verification exercise where beneficiaries confirm that they are alive so they can continue receiving their payments. This helps to update programme records and ensures that only rightful beneficiaries receive the funds.

The verification will mainly take place at all SAGE payment points. However, beneficiaries who are very sick, too old, or unable to travel may be verified from their homes by Community Development Officers (CDOs).

Beneficiaries are required to come with valid identification, such as a National ID, voter location slip, passport, or any other acceptable document. Each beneficiary will be physically confirmed during the exercise.

Those who fail to appear for the Proof of Life verification risk having their payments suspended until they are verified. For beneficiaries who are sick, hospitalized, or unable to travel, CDOs will assess their condition and arrange verification.

The public is also advised to report the death of any beneficiary immediately to local leaders so that their name can be removed from the SAGE payroll.

During the exercise, eligible older persons who are not yet enrolled may also be verified and added to the programme if their names appear on the targeted list.

Twesigomwe urged caretakers to ensure that beneficiaries who are able to move are brought to the designated payment points after being informed of the specific dates for the exercise.