By Karim Were
KAMPALA —A delegation from the Gambia Armed Forces has visited Uganda’s Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Wazalendo SACCO) in Kampala to study its operations and explore practices that could strengthen financial services and welfare programmes for military personnel and their families.
The delegation, led by Brigadier General Sait Njie, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces and chairman of the board of the Gambia Armed Forces Cooperative Credit Union, visited Wazalendo SACCO headquarters in Kiwatule on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.
Advertisiment RUZOGO👇🏼👇🏼 
The visit provided an opportunity for the two military-linked cooperative institutions to exchange experiences on savings, credit, governance, investments and digital financial services.
The Gambian delegation included Major Falton Bety Jammeh, manager of the Gambia Armed Forces Credit Union, and Yankuba Touray, director of programmes at the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of Gambia.
Advertisiment KIKOKRONGO 👇🏼👇🏼 
They were received by Wazalendo SACCO Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Yusuf Magero Buha.
#Wazalendo shares its growth story.
During the engagement, Brigadier General Buha briefed the delegation on the history, organisational structure, governance arrangements and financial services offered by Wazalendo SACCO.
Established in 2005 under the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Wazalendo SACCO was created to improve the financial welfare and socio-economic wellbeing of UPDF personnel and their families.
The institution began providing credit facilities to members in 2008, when it introduced its first loan product, the School Fees Loan.
According to Buha, the SACCO has since expanded its financial products and services to respond to the changing needs of its membership.
“From humble beginnings in 2005 and the first loan product, the School Fees Loan, given out in 2008, Wazalendo SACCO has grown into a significant pillar of financial empowerment for our servicemen and women, driven by a deep understanding of their unique needs,” Buha said.
The CEO said the institution’s development had been guided by the need to provide financial solutions suited to the circumstances of military personnel.
#Gambian delegation commends Wazalendo.
Brigadier General Njie commended Wazalendo SACCO for what he described as a robust operational model and its contribution to the socio-economic wellbeing of UPDF personnel and their families.
The Gambian delegation was taken through presentations by Wazalendo SACCO directors and heads of departments as part of the benchmarking exercise.
The discussions provided the visitors with an opportunity to examine how the Ugandan institution manages its operations and delivers financial services to members.
The delegation also explored the structures supporting the SACCO’s administration, financial management and service delivery.
#Focus on governance and financial management.
Colonel JB Kato, Director of Administration and Finance at Wazalendo SACCO, highlighted the organisational structures that support the institution’s operations.
He explained the SACCO’s blend of civilian and military personnel, financial management practices and governance structures.
The presentation also focused on the importance of transparent management and clear institutional responsibilities in maintaining confidence among members.
For cooperative financial institutions serving military personnel, effective governance is particularly important because members rely on the institutions for savings, credit and other financial services.
The benchmarking discussions therefore examined how Wazalendo SACCO combines its military and civilian workforce while maintaining its operational and financial structures.
#Digital services and wider branch network
Wazalendo SACCO Director of Operations William Atalyeba presented the institution’s operational model, including its branch network and liaison structures.
The presentation covered both cash and non-cash branches, as well as the SACCO’s liaison network designed to improve access to services.
Atalyeba also outlined the institution’s savings schemes, loan products and investment opportunities available to members.
Another area of interest was digital financial services.
The SACCO’s Waza Mobile platform was presented as one of the tools used to improve accessibility and service delivery, particularly by enabling members to access financial services through digital channels.
The growth of digital financial services has increasingly become an important part of financial inclusion, allowing institutions to serve members who may not always be able to visit physical branches.
#Benchmarking member mobilisation and savings
The discussions also examined strategies for mobilising members and encouraging a savings culture.
Member mobilisation is central to the cooperative model because savings provide an important foundation for lending and other financial activities.
The Gambian delegation studied how Wazalendo SACCO approaches savings mobilisation and manages its loan portfolio to meet different member needs.
Loan management was another key area of discussion, with attention given to products tailored to members’ different financial requirements.
The exchange was intended to provide practical lessons that could be considered by the Gambia Armed Forces Credit Union as it develops its own services.
#nvestment opportunities discussed
Investment was also included among the areas covered during the benchmarking exercise.
Wazalendo SACCO shared information on investment opportunities available to its members and the role of investment in strengthening members’ financial wellbeing.
For cooperative institutions, investments can provide an additional avenue for members to build wealth while supporting the long-term sustainability of the institution.
The discussions therefore went beyond basic savings and lending to examine broader approaches to financial empowerment.
#Strengthening military welfare
The visit reflects the growing importance of financial cooperatives in supporting the welfare of serving military personnel and their families.
Military personnel often require access to reliable financial services for education, housing, emergencies, investment and other household needs.
Institutions such as Wazalendo SACCO seek to provide structured savings and credit opportunities within a cooperative framework.
The benchmarking visit allowed the Gambian delegation to examine how Uganda has developed such a model over time.
For the two institutions, sharing experiences could help identify practical approaches to improving financial inclusion among military personnel.
#Uganda-Gambia institutional exchange
The visit also provided an opportunity for institutional cooperation between military-linked cooperative organisations from Uganda and The Gambia.
Rather than focusing solely on financial products, the engagement covered governance, member mobilisation, operations, technology and investment.
Such exchanges allow institutions to compare approaches and identify practices that may be adapted to different national environments.
The Gambian delegation’s interest in Wazalendo SACCO’s experience comes as financial cooperatives across Africa seek ways to expand access to affordable financial services while maintaining strong governance and financial sustainability.
#A focus on practical lessons
The benchmarking discussions were designed to go beyond presentations by providing an opportunity for the delegation to understand the practical systems behind Wazalendo SACCO’s operations.
Areas examined included savings mobilisation, loan administration, governance, investment, branch operations and digital financial services.
The engagement also created an avenue for the institutions to discuss strategic initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of their members.
For Wazalendo SACCO, the visit provided an opportunity to showcase its institutional development since its establishment in 2005.
For the Gambian delegation, the engagement offered an opportunity to study a military cooperative that has expanded its financial services over several years.
#Looking beyond traditional financial services
The discussions indicate an increasing emphasis on financial institutions serving military personnel moving beyond traditional savings and loan services.
Digital platforms, investment opportunities, diversified loan products and expanded branch networks can provide members with more flexible ways of managing their finances.
At the same time, strong governance and financial management remain essential to maintaining the confidence of members.
The Wazalendo SACCO experience presented during the visit showed how these elements can be integrated into an institution serving a specialised membership.
#Conclusion
The visit by the Gambia Armed Forces delegation to Wazalendo SACCO in Kampala has strengthened opportunities for knowledge-sharing between the two military cooperative institutions.
By examining Uganda’s experience in savings mobilisation, credit management, governance, investment and digital financial services, the Gambian delegation gained insights that could inform the development of its own cooperative financial services.
For Wazalendo SACCO, the engagement also provided an opportunity to reflect on its growth from its establishment in 2005 and its expansion from the introduction of its first loan product in 2008.
The exchange ultimately centred on a common objective: strengthening financial inclusion and improving the economic welfare of serving military personnel and their families through sustainable cooperative financial services.
