President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has revealed that government plans to increase the annual allocation of Shs100 million to each parish under the Parish Development Model (PDM), in order to enhance implementation of the programme, particularly in urban areas where population densities are high.
Speaking during a public rally on Tuesday at St. Thomas Catholic Parish grounds in Kawempe Division, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, President Museveni acknowledged that the current allocation is inadequate to meet the development needs of urban parishes.
“PDM is a good initiative, but in towns, the number of people per village is very high. The Shs100 million allocated annually per parish is not sufficient. We are going to increase it,” the President said.
Museveni is currently on a week-long tour of the Greater Wakiso region to assess the performance of the PDM and other wealth creation initiatives being implemented by government.
“President Museveni and Mama Janet arrive at St. Thomas Catholic Parish grounds in Jinja Keroli Village, Kawempe, Nansana Municipality to address a public rally on wealth creation” Clip by Ronald Odongo.
The Parish Development Model, launched in 2021, is designed to transition subsistence households into the money economy by empowering them through agriculture, enterprise development, and financial inclusion at the parish level.
The President reiterated that peace and stability remain foundational for development and urged citizens to make full use of existing infrastructure by engaging in productive economic activities.
“We now have peace, but peace alone is not enough. If there are tarmac roads and your household has no income, those roads will not help you. That’s why every home must work towards wealth creation,” Museveni noted.
He emphasized that all Ugandans must participate in wealth generation either as entrepreneurs or employees highlighting sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services as key economic drivers.
“There are now 1.2 million young people working in factories. The government employs about 400,000, while the services sector employs 5 million and agriculture 3.6 million. Let everyone get involved,” he added.
The President extended a cash gift of Shs6 million to the LC1 Chairperson of Jinja Keroli Village, who also serves as a local leader of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), to assist him in purchasing a motorcycle for community mobilization in support of government programmes.
Museveni said government support should be inclusive and should not discriminate based on political affiliation, as long as the beneficiary contributes to development and wealth creation at the grassroots.
He also supported two different groups of ghetto youth as part of his empowerment initiatives with Shs3million each to boost their business ventures.
The President called upon residents to vote leaders under the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) whom he said understand and will effectively implement pro-poor programmes such as the PDM.
