By: Diana. N. Kintu
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced a substantial financial commitment to support Uganda’s rapidly growing beauty and salon industry, pledging an annual revolving fund of Shs85 billion. The pledge was made at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds during the official launch of the Federation of Uganda Salon Operators and Beauty Professionals, an umbrella body bringing together salon owners and beauty practitioners from across the country.
Addressing hundreds of industry players, President Museveni commended salon and beauty professionals for the vital services they provide to communities, particularly in an increasingly urbanised society. He noted that as more Ugandans move to towns and cities and adopt busier lifestyles, personal care services such as hairdressing, beauty treatment and grooming have become essential to daily life.
“I congratulate them for the important service they provide, especially as our society urbanises and people become busier,” the President said, underscoring the growing relevance of the sector in the modern economy.
Beyond financial support, President Museveni used the occasion to reflect on broader cultural and historical issues affecting African identity. He recalled a time when Africans were encouraged to undermine their own beauty and instead imitate European standards, a mindset rooted in colonial history. According to the President, that way of thinking has since been overcome, allowing Africans to confidently define and celebrate their own identity.
“I reminded them that Africans were once made to despise their own beauty, but that mindset was defeated and today we proudly define and celebrate our own identity,” he stated. He further welcomed initiatives by local salon operators to develop and promote home-grown beauty products, describing such efforts as a step towards self-reliance, value addition and economic independence within the sector.
The proposed government support is aimed at strengthening small businesses and boosting the informal economy, where the majority of salon operators currently operate. The funding will be delivered through a revolving fund model similar to the Parish Development Model (PDM), which focuses on grassroots economic empowerment.
Under the arrangement, each of the approximately 850 Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (SACCOs) affiliated with the Federation of Uganda Salon Operators and Beauty Professionals will receive Shs100 million annually. This structure brings the total annual allocation to Shs85 billion nationwide.
“I pledged government support through a revolving fund for salon operators, implemented via SACCOs. With about 850 SACCOs, allocating Shs100 million per SACCO would amount to Shs85 billion annually,” President Museveni explained.
The President noted that the funds would be accessed by SACCO members as loans, invested directly into their salon businesses, and repaid at a minimal interest rate. He emphasised that the objective of the programme is to promote productivity and sustainability rather than burden beneficiaries with high borrowing costs.
“Like PDM, this money will be borrowed by the members, used productively and repaid with minimal interest,” he said.
Given the nature of salon and beauty enterprises, which typically generate quicker cash flow than sectors such as agriculture, President Museveni proposed shorter repayment periods to ensure faster fund rotation and broader access. He called on relevant stakeholders to work out practical modalities for the implementation of the fund.
“Given the nature of salon businesses, shorter repayment periods can be applied. Let us work on this,” he added.
The announcement has been welcomed by industry players as a landmark step towards formalising and empowering thousands of Ugandans employed in the beauty and personal care sector. If effectively implemented, the revolving fund is expected to enhance access to capital, improve service standards, encourage local product development and contribute to job creation and economic growth.