President Museveni has expressed deep concern over the economic struggles many Ugandans continue to face, particularly at the household level. During his ongoing Parish Development Model (PDM) Performance Assessment tour in Greater Mubende, the President said his mission was to “sound the alarm on the issue of poverty in homesteads.”
“That is why we have always emphasised the bona bagagawale program,” Museveni said.
“But some people don’t take heed and say it’s just politics.”
He noted with sadness that many Ugandans still generate no income and continue to live in abject poverty.
“I cannot enjoy a good life while other Ugandans live in hardship,” he stated
On Tuesday, President Museveni visited the poultry farm of Christine Wineza, a beneficiary of the PDM funds, located in Mityana District. Earlier, he had visited a multi-purpose farming project led by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Kiyemba, the Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Parish—both cited as success stories under the PDM initiative.
The Parish Development Model is the government’s poverty eradication flagship program aimed at transitioning 39% of Uganda’s population from a subsistence economy into the money economy.
It is built on seven pillars, including production, storage, processing, and marketing; infrastructure and economic services; and financial inclusion.
Over the years, Museveni’s 39 year old government has rolled out a number of poverty eradication initiatives such as Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga, Youth livelihood Programme (YLP), Women Entrepreneurship Programme, NAADS (National Agricultural Advisory Services).
While many of these programs have faced challenges in implementation, including corruption and poor monitoring, the President emphasised that his visits aim to ensure that funds reach intended beneficiaries and make a real impact on the ground.
