Museveni urges Tooro scribes to uncover misuse of PDM funds
Museveni also contributed Shs 100 million to the journalists SACCO and a van for transportation
FORT PORTAL CITY, May 20, 2025 –– President Yoweri Museveni recently told journalists from the Tooro Subregion at State Lodge-Fort Portal where he emphasised that the Parish Development Model [PDM] is meant to tackle household poverty and promote economic transformation in the country.
“I come as a preacher to spread the gospel and assess those that have committed to live by the gospel,” he said.
Museveni further highlighted that his purpose is to focus on economic transformation that aims at increasing household incomes and improving the quality of life of Ugandans through poverty alleviation initiatives like the PDM.
He also addressed concerns regarding irregularities in the PDM programme, asserting that, “Thieves of PDM should be jailed and serve as labourers which will be beneficial to the government.”
He emphasised the government’s commitment to safeguarding public funds and called on journalists to expose any misuse of the PDM funds.
On conceptualisation and implementation of PDM, the journalists highlighted the lack of a clear framework of the programme.
“The design of PDM is very good but the challenge is that these beneficiaries weren’t sensitized at first on how to choose the best enterprises to invest their money,” one of the journalists said.
Museveni responded with clarification, saying, “We had calculated the Shs 1 million based on coffee, knowing that 250 seedlings per acre would cost Shs 180,000 and the balance could be used on other developments. But because of the need to involve everyone we embarked on 4 sectors with 7 activities on 4 acres or less.”
He said that his advice was based on the availability of the market and good returns on the selected enterprises, which would achieve PDM goals of reducing poverty across the country.
Additionally, Museveni urged journalists to champion national development and remain patriotic in their reporting, aligning with the mindset change and Parish-based management information on socio-economic transformation and democracy.
He also proposed and tasked the journalists to nominate one journalist per district who will be attached to the Presidential Press Unit to monitor the PDM initiative.
Museveni also contributed Shs 100 million to the journalists SACCO and a van for transportation.
On the issue of Kyaka II Refugee Settlement located in Kyegegwa, President Museveni promised to resolve the long-standing dispute by providing land titles to occupants.
“They stole that land from the government, but we have decided to let them stay because it is not environmentally sensitive. I will write about it.”
The meeting was also attended by the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi.
Museveni lauds Mubende residents
Meanwhile, Museveni accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kata aha Museveni addressed a rally at Kichwamba Secondary School in Kitagwenda District on Sundy, thanking residents for their cooperation in maintaining peace and rejecting rebel activities.
He credited the prevailing peace to the National Resistance Movement [NRM]’s politics of interest rather than identity, its commitment to women’s emancipation, and non-discrimination based on religion or tribe.
The President highlighted that while infrastructure like tarmac roads and electricity are important, they cannot uplift individuals without a source of income. He stressed that the government’s current priority is to boost homestead income, arguing that financial stability begins at household level.
Museveni assured citizens that even those with small land holdings can succeed, citing Richard Nyakana from Fort Portal City, who runs a thriving one-acre farm.
He outlined the PDM as a key initiative to support poor Ugandans lacking startup capital. Under the PDM, each parish receives Shs 100 million annually, and beneficiaries can borrow Shs 1 million at a 6 percent interest rate repayable in over two years.
He insisted the PDM money belongs to the people and will never return to government coffers, urging locals to report any officials misappropriating the funds.
Museveni reiterated his commitment to free education in both primary and secondary government schools, revealing plans to invest more in recruiting teachers and building classrooms. He announced the donation of buses to Kichwamba Secondary School and Humura Secondary School and contributed Shs 60 million towards the construction of Kitagwenda Mosque.
Local leaders, including Kitagwenda Woman MP, Nyakato Dorothy and Kitagwenda County MP, Nulu Byamukama, thanked Museveni for creating Kitagwenda district and for initiating the PDM initiative.
Byamukama also appealed to Museveni to tarmac roads in the district to ease coffee transportation to markets.
Lunched in February 2022; the PDM is a government strategy focused on improving incomes and welfare at the household level by bringing services closer to the people. It aims to move Ugandans from a subsistence economy to a monetised economy within five years by focusing on the parish as the lowest level of economic planning and service delivery.
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