Museveni praises Catholic Church for role in poverty alleviation
Museveni highlighted the critical role of religious institutions in advancing socio-economic transformation and the well-being of citizens
MITYANA, April 16, 2025 – President Yoweri Museveni has commended the Catholic Church in Uganda for its active role in fighting poverty and promoting socio-economic development across communities.
Speaking on Tuesday at Busunju Parish in Busunju Town Council, Mityana South Constituency, Museveni said it is essential to combine spiritual guidance with practical measures aimed at uplifting livelihoods.
“I’m pleased to see that the priest is following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, whose mission encompassed four dimensions: preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and engaging in carpentry himself. I’ve seen the coffee, cows, and pigs, and the support being provided to the people. I will also offer my support,” Museveni said.
The Ugandan Head of State made the comments while touring wealth creation projects run by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Kiyimba, a Catholic priest and farmer, as part of his ongoing regional tour to assess the impact of the Parish Development Model [PDM] in the Greater Mubende area.
Fr. Kiyimba operates several income-generating enterprises, including: Seven dairy cows, four of which produce 25 litres of milk daily. Three litres are consumed by the family, while the remaining 22 litres are sold at Shs 1,600 per litre, generating approximately Shs 35,200 daily – Shs 1,056,000 monthly, or Shs 12,672,000 annually.
Kiyimba also has 12 pigs, which bring in Shs 5 million annually, and 6.8 acres of Robusta coffee, yielding around Shs 7.8 million per harvest.
Museveni highlighted the critical role of religious institutions in advancing socio-economic transformation and the well-being of citizens.
“I’m going to support them with Shs 100 million. I will also contribute Shs 500 million towards the completion of the church and provide a tractor,” he said, adding that he would also donate a school bus as a memorial of his visit to the area.
Additionally, the President gave Shs 9 million to the LCI Chairperson and Shs 5 million for upgrading the local stadium.
Museveni is spending the week in the Greater Mubende region to evaluate the implementation and impact of the PDM, Uganda’s flagship anti-poverty initiative aimed at transitioning from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.
PDM Funding and impact in Mityana
According to figures from the PDM Secretariat, between the 2021/2022 and 2024/2025 financial years:
Shs 19.29 billion was allocated to Mityana District, of which Shs 15.5 billion has already been disbursed to 75 registered Parish Development Model Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations [PDM SACCOs], representing 80 percent disbursement.
Approximately 15,560 households have benefited so far, with Shs 3.79 billion yet to be distributed.
Mityana Municipality, with 15 registered PDM SACCOs, received Shs 3.86 billion, of which Shs 3.1 billion has been disbursed at 80 percent, benefiting 3,113 households. The remaining balance is Shs 754 million.
During the visit, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja informed the President of the growing challenge of school dropouts in the region. In response, Museveni pledged immediate intervention.
“This issue stems from confusion within school administrations and Parent-Teacher Associations [PTAs]. We have already declared that all children should study for free in government schools. We’ve been addressing many things, and now we’re launching a campaign to deal with this issue,” he said.
Preliminary results from the 2024 National Housing and Population Census indicate the sub-region has a population of 1.7 million, with approximately 1.02 million school-going children.
Nabbanja also urged continued support for the National Resistance Movement and Museveni to ensure sustained prosperity for all Ugandans.
Call for infrastructure investment
Judith Nabakooba, Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, lauded the President’s personal involvement in monitoring the PDM, describing it as a sign of commitment to a life-changing programme.
“We thank you for personally monitoring the PDM programme. This demonstrates your dedication to this transformative initiative,” Nabakooba said.
She requested further funding due to high demand and recommended prioritised enterprises such as poultry, dairy cows, and coffee, citing their market potential due to the district’s proximity to the capital.
The Minister also called for the tarmacking of key roads in the district, including: Mityana–Busunju, Manyi–Banda, Bulera–Kalangalo–Bukuya roads.
Museveni’s regional tour continues
Greater Mubende, located in Central Uganda, comprises seven local governments: Kassanda, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Mityana, Mubende, Mityana Municipality, and Mubende Municipality.
Museveni was accompanied by key government officials, including: Hamson Obua Denis, Government Chief Whip, Evelyn Anite, Minister of State for Investment and Privatisation, and Members of Parliament and religious leaders from Busunju Parish and beyond.
Earlier, Museveni launched the Greater Mubende Wealth Creation Tour in Kyankwanzi by visiting Patrick Matovu, a PDM beneficiary who invested Shs 1 million in a poultry project. He also toured State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi’s coffee farm and nursery bed in Busunju, Mityana district.
The Parish Development Model remains a cornerstone of Uganda’s strategy to eradicate poverty by empowering communities from the grassroots.
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