In one of his recent Bukedi region tours that highlighted the tangible impact of the Parish Development Model (PDM) on rural households,President Yoweri Museveni praised Florence Nabutono of Bukoda Cell, Kasasira Town Council in Kibuku District for her inspiring journey in wealth creation.
Nabutono is the LC1 Chairperson of Bukoda Cell and a model farmer in the area.
As part of his ongoing performance assessment zonal tour for the PDM in Bukedi Subregion, Museveni expressed admiration for the impressive development of Nabutono’s homestead and commended her for embracing the government’s message of self-driven wealth creation.
During the tour, Museveni urged Ugandans to adopt a similar entrepreneurial mindset, stressing that no one should experience poverty in a country as resource-rich as Uganda. He emphasised that with determination and practical efforts, everyone has the potential to transform their lives.
Nabutono is a good example of Ugandans who have listened to Museveni’s advice. And with the support that the ruling Government has extended to Ugandans through PDM and other programmes, many people have adhered to these projects, even when some leaders, especially those from Opposition are not taking these projects up and educating the people on how to get out of poverty.
So, by adhering to President Museveni’s message, Nabutono has built her farming business, which began with only 1 million Ugandan shillings she got from her Parish PDM SACCO. With this modest investment, she purchased a pig, which eventually multiplied. By selling some of the offspring, she was able to pay her children’s school fees and diversify her farm, adding poultry to her operations.
This is the story of NRM and Museveni. From little, one can ably utilise Government programmes to multiply and jump out of poverty.
Wealth creation is not only for a few. The message of the President is that everyone must be brought into the money economy.
To ensure that everybody is enrolled into the money economy, President Museveni informed leaders in the Bukedi subregion that Uganda can only achieve the desired socio-economic transformation through wealth creation.
In order to achieve socio-economic transformation, the President said, we need to create wealth. This is conceptual, it’s not lack of resources, it is lack of concept,” he said.
The President,therefore, informed leaders in the Bukedi subregion that Uganda can only achieve the desired socio-economic transformation through wealth creation.
According to the President, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government has always come up with several interventions such as the four acre-model type of farming, to help Ugandans fight poverty and create wealth.
President Museveni guided that if you are a leader and you don’t guide the people you lead well, it’s a sin. As a leader, you must lead yopur people out of poverty by educating them on how to tap into various government projects such as PDM and Emyooga.
That is why monitoring of government projects is an essential element for all leaders.
In fact, during the Bukedi region tour, the Presiden urged local leaders to strengthen oversight of government projects and programmes.
The critical role of Local Council (LC) leaders in monitoring and supervising government programs, particularly the PDM,is also vital because the money comes at the parish, and it can be easily monitored from there.
Highlighting the importance of grassroot accountability, the President reminded Ugandans that local leaders are elected to serve the people’s interests and oversee proper use of government funds.
Museveni also addressed concerns over cases of misappropriation of PDM funds, asserting that such issues could be minimized if communities were more vigilant about electing leaders who prioritize accountability.
He noted that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government established the LC system to empower communities to elect representatives who are committed to local needs, contrasting it with a reliance on public service officials who may lack local accountability. He especially urged LC3 and LC5 chairpersons to take active roles in protecting government funds.
The President also addressed environmental concerns, specifically the issue of wetland encroachment in Bukedi Subregion. Acknowledging that some communities may have been misled into farming within wetlands, he announced that the government will compensate affected residents. After resettlement to the edges of swamps, they will be encouraged to transition from rice farming to fish farming, which preserves wetland ecosystems and allows for sustainable water use through irrigation.
Museveni further expressed confidence that this approach will restore the wetlands while supporting local livelihoods.
Additionally, Museveni urged cultural leaders to respect their boundaries, cautioning that interference in government matters could lead to conflicts between cultural institutions and the state.
Looking forward, the President pledged to increase funding for the PDM as tax revenue grows, which will further enable communities to access economic opportunities.
He also highlighted the many success stories among PDM beneficiaries, acknowledging the need for more media coverage to showcase these achievements and inspire other communities.
The tours, according to the programme, are meant to assess the progress of the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), which he launched in February 2022 at Kibuku Primary School in Kibuku district, Bukedi region.
PDM is a multi-sectoral strategy that was rolled out to create socio-economic transformation by moving 39% households out of subsistence economy into the money economy.
At the launch of the PDM programme in Kibuku, Museveni said: “During the recently concluded elections, we promised you that the 2021-2026 term is going to be a Kisanja (term in office) for creating wealth, jobs and incomes for all Ugandans”.
In the 2021-2026 Manifesto, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) promised to use PDM as a strategy to reach homesteads that are still in subsistence economy to support them join the money economy.
Museveni started the PDM assessment tours last year, under the theme: “Wealth creation and Prosperity for all, with emphasis on the Four-Acre Model, Parish Development Model, Emyooga and other Government livelihood Programmes”.
So far, the President has traveled to the Acholi, West Nile, and Greater Masaka sub-regions for the same purpose.
Through PDM, the President said, Government will take services to the people in a more effective way and receive actionable feedback from them on wealth creation and Government-provided services to quicken socio-economic transformation.
Under the PDM programme, the Parish Chief is the coordinator of all Government efforts at each of the 10,594 parishes, and they report to the Sub-County Chief.
The writer is the Deputy RDC for Manafwa district and a member of the Rotary Club of Kasangati
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