President Museveni has warned parish and sub-county chiefs in the Bukedi Sub-region that any local leader found excluding youth, women, or persons with disabilities from accessing funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM) will be dismissed from office.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Pallisa District, Museveni said government would not tolerate misuse or misallocation of funds meant for targeted groups.
“Within the 100 million shillings allocated to each parish, 30 percent belongs to the youth, 30 percent to the women, and 10 percent to persons with disabilities. I don’t want to hear that story again,” Museveni said.
“If I hear that any of these groups are denied their share, I will go for the parish chief first, and I will dismiss them together with the sub-county chiefs.”
The warning comes amid public concern over the implementation of the PDM, a flagship wealth-creation program launched in 2022, following reports of mismanagement and favoritism in some areas.
Museveni said local leaders bear the greatest responsibility for transparency in government programs.
“Let everybody get their share. But you, the youth, should also join the SACCOs. Go to the Muluka chief and register. Nobody will stop you if you are over 18,” he told the crowd.
Under the PDM, each parish receives shs100 million in seed capital to support household enterprises and agricultural productivity.
Pallisa District, with 90 parishes, has so far received shs27.7 billion , with about 98 percent disbursed to over 27,000 households, representing 45 percent of all homes in the district.
Museveni used the rally to emphasize that economic empowerment remains central to the NRM’s message. He explained the difference between “development” and “wealth creation,” stressing that personal enterprise is the foundation of prosperity.
“Development is for all of us, but wealth is for individuals. The wealth you personally create is what sustains your household,” he said.
He cited previous programs such as Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation, Emyooga, and PDM as part of the government’s long-term effort to lift Ugandans out of poverty.
The President showcased success stories of farmers like Joseph Ijala from Serere District, who earns over shs6 million daily from poultry and dairy farming, and Fred Byamukama, whose four-acre farm generates shs700 million annually and employs 26 people.
“Government jobs are only about 480,000, yet we have millions of Ugandans. If every household engages in productive enterprises, we can create jobs through wealth,” Museveni noted.
He also announced plans to expand PDM to include local leaders, religious institutions, fishermen, and unemployed university graduates, introducing specialized funds to boost their livelihoods.
Museveni called for industrial expansion in Pallisa, revealing that the district had offered 100 acres for an industrial park but urged leaders to provide more land.
“You have given me very little land. I want at least a square mile. When you get more land, come back to me,” he said.
He pointed to the Sino-Uganda Industrial Park in Mbale, which now hosts 75 factories, as a model for job creation.
Encouraging agricultural diversification, he advised residents to use swampy areas for fish farming rather than rice growing.
“Fish farming is very lucrative. In my Lira farm, the ponds yield shs100 million per year. In Limoto, farmers earn up to shs56 million per acre,” he said, promising government support for pond construction.
Museveni highlighted the NRM government’s 40-year record of restoring peace and rebuilding infrastructure in regions once affected by insurgency.
“Pallisa was once attacked by cattle rustlers and was a battleground for Lakwena. Today, there is stability because of the institutions we built — the army, the police, and a united party,” he said.
He cited major roads such as Iganga–Nakalama–Tirinyi–Mbale and Tirinyi–Pallisa–Kumi as milestones of NRM’s investment in the east, but criticized local authorities for neglecting rural road maintenance.
“They just graded this road because they knew I was coming. We gave each district one billion for roads. The RDC and LC5 must ensure accountability,” he warned.
Museveni commended Pallisa’s progress in water access, with 96 percent of villages now served. Projects such as the Pallisa Town Council Piped Water Supply and Sanitation Project and the Limoto Irrigation Scheme have benefited thousands, while new systems are planned for Kibale and Kamuge.
In education, he pledged to ensure every parish has a primary school and every sub-county a secondary school.
“When I come here today and find that Pallisa has nine government secondary schools, I say Eyalama Edeke (thank you, God),” he said.
He also announced plans to upgrade Obutete, Kaukura, and Limoto health centers and build new facilities in Kamuge Rural, Agule Rural, and Oboliso.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among thanked the President for transforming Bukedi’s infrastructure.
“Especially the road from Tirinyi to Pallisa up to Kumi—now we have the best road in eastern Uganda,” she said, commending the government for defending Uganda’s traditional values and empowering citizens through community funding.
NRM Vice Chairperson for Eastern Region Calvin Echodu praised the strong turnout at the rally as proof of public confidence in Museveni’s leadership, while Pallisa District Chairperson Derrick Orone presented community requests including upgrading the general hospital, more technical schools, and political representation.
“We shall give you above 90 percent in the upcoming election,” Orone declared, drawing cheers from supporters.