Museveni woos Kololo as he concludes nationwide Parish Development Model assessment tours

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today officially concluded his nationwide Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tours with a call to Ugandans to fight poverty by embracing wealth creation at the household level. President Museveni, who was accompanied by the First Lady, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, the Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, and the First Daughter, Mrs. Natasha Karugire Museveni, made the appeal while addressing a public rally attended by thousands of Kampala residents at Kololo Independence Grounds. The ceremony also marked the final day of the nationwide Presidential assessment tour on PDM and wealth creation in Kampala. “I have been telling you about peace. The second thing is development: roads, electricity, schools, and hospitals. But when you return home in the evening, you still find the poverty you left there in the morning. That’s why I came to talk to you about wealth,” President Museveni informed Ugandans. Launched in February 2022, the Parish Development Model is the government’s flagship approach to move 39% of Ugandans still outside the money economy into productive enterprise. It operates at the parish level, with each parish receiving SHS shs100m annually, empowering communities through structured SACCOs and direct access to capital. President Museveni explained that while development projects like paved roads benefit everyone, wealth must be personal, generated within homesteads. “When Jesus was teaching people, He said: ‘Seek ye the Kingdom of God, and all other things shall be added unto you.’ I am also telling you to seek the wealth in homesteads, and all the others shall be added unto you,” he said. President Museveni outlined three primary forms of wealth generation, one of them being commercial agriculture. The President emphasized agriculture as the foundation for rural wealth. “Whether you are a big farmer or a small one, if you have a small piece of land, you must have ekibaro, a calculation,” he said. He screened a video of Mr. Joseph Ijaara, a former taxi conductor from Serere, who transformed his life through poultry farming on 2.5 acres. Today, he sells 310 trays of eggs per day, produces yoghurt and soap, and earns over shs 1 billion annually, with shs800m in profits. President Museveni also lauded Mrs. Fausta Nalweyiso of Busega, who turned sh1m in PDM support into a successful piggery business. He mentioned that the second type of wealth creation was through artisanship and manufacturing. In urban areas, President Museveni highlighted artisans in Kawempe, Maganjo, and Makindye, engaging in metalwork, tailoring, carpentry, and welding. He applauded the Kigo Carpentry Centre, for which the government helped secure land in Kigo. It now produces quality furniture previously imported from Dubai. “These youth are doing wonders. What we used to import, they are now making here,” he said. He also showcased the Presidential Zonal Industrial Hubs, which have trained and empowered thousands of youths with employable skills. The President described services as the third form of wealth creation. “You may not produce the goods, but by selling them in a shop or market, you are creating wealth,” President Museveni said. He also acknowledged ICT as a fourth avenue of wealth creation for the youth, but emphasized focus on the first three pillars. President Museveni underscored that jobs are created by wealth, not government payrolls. “Government jobs are only 480,000. Factories alone have created 1.2 million jobs. Minister Fred Byamukama earns Shs 700 million annually from poultry, coffee, bananas, and dairy. And he employs 26 people,” he said. The President also emphasized the link between wealth creation and employment, urging young people to seek opportunities in production. President Museveni revealed that Kawempe Division’s 22 parishes had received Shs 100 million per year, totaling about Shs 7 billion in three years. However, there are complaints among the residents that they have not received the money. “Kawempe is not in Congo or Rwanda. It is here. I have directed Hajjat Madinah Nsereko and Faridah Nambi to investigate those homes. Let us find out what happened to that money. With the help of the town clerk, we must address this issue,” he added. To address the unique needs of urban communities, President Museveni made several new commitments, including increasing urban PDM funds to UGX 130 million per parish and raising ghetto youth empowerment funding to UGX 1 billion per division. He also highlighted special support for sectors like boda boda, car washers, market vendors, brick makers, and garage mechanics. President Museveni, however, expressed disappointment that Emyooga funds were stolen in Kampala. “In villages, Emyooga was at the constituency level, but here in Kampala, we brought it down to the parish. The money was stolen. We’re going to investigate and ensure it is recovered,” he said.