Residents and leaders of Oyam District have applauded President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for transforming livelihoods through the Parish Development Model (PDM), which they say has lifted the district among Uganda’s top performers in economic transformation.
The praise came during the President’s campaign rally at Boma Grounds, Oyam, where he addressed hundreds of supporters under the theme: “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status.” President Museveni is the NRM Presidential flagbearer in the ongoing campaigns.
According to a recent national assessment by the Ministry of Local Government, in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister and the PDM Secretariat under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Oyam was ranked the best-performing PDM district in Northern Uganda and fourth nationwide.
Welcoming the President, Mr Bosco Onyik Ogwal, the NRM District Chairperson for Oyam, described the visit as a moment of pride and renewal for the people. “Your Excellency, we welcome you to Oyam. We are ready—ready to take Oyam back to the NRM,” he declared to loud cheers.
Mr Ogwal noted that Oyam District, home to over 500,000 residents, comprises 16 sub-counties and town councils, 74 parishes, and 1,094 villages. “Through PDM, the district has received Shs 15.26 billion, all of which has been disbursed to 15,358 beneficiary households out of 110,658 total households,” he said. “Thousands of families that once lived in the subsistence economy are now part of the money economy. Women have formed SACCOs, youth have started small enterprises, and lives are changing.”
He also thanked the President for reconstructing Nile Secondary School and supporting plans to upgrade Akii Bua Stadium, calling it “the pride of the Lango Sub-region.”
Highlighting progress in social services, Mr Ogwal revealed that Oyam now has 109 government primary schools, 160 private schools, and 10 government secondary schools implementing the Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post O-Level Education and Training (UPOLET) programmes. He added that 120 students—87 male and 33 female—have benefited from the Student Loan Scheme, enabling them to pursue higher education.
On healthcare, he said the district has 44 health facilities, including 17 Health Centre IIIs and Anyeke Health Centre IV, while immunisation campaigns have significantly improved child survival. Safe water coverage stands at 78%, above the national rural average.
Mr Ogwal, however, appealed to the President to consider creating Aber District to bring services closer to the people, upgrading Oyam Health Centre IV to a general hospital, and tarmacking key roads such as Loro–Minakulu and Oyam–Iceme to improve connectivity.
In his address, President Museveni commended Oyam’s achievements under the PDM, reiterating the NRM’s philosophy of inclusive development and unity. He reminded Ugandans of the country’s long journey from division to peace and the NRM’s founding mission to unite people beyond tribe and religion.
“Initially, we were members of the old parties—DP, UPC, Kabaka Yekka—but those were sectarian. In 1965, we formed study groups in universities to unite young people from all backgrounds. That’s how the NRM was born—to fight Idi Amin and build a new Uganda,” the President said.
He emphasised that Uganda is now experiencing its longest period of peace in centuries. “For the first time in 500 years, we have had peace. Before the Europeans came, this area was full of tribal wars—between Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole, and Busoga. After independence, the wars resumed. But today, because of unity and a strong national army, Uganda is peaceful,” he noted.
The President added that this peace has enabled the creation of strong national institutions such as the army and judiciary, which underpin sustainable development.
Encouraging citizens to take full advantage of available opportunities, President Museveni said: “If there’s a tarmac road or school in your area, are you going to sleep on the road or in the school? If you’re not working for money, poverty will still find you. Everyone must participate in wealth creation.”
He urged every family to embrace commercial agriculture for both food and income, supported by government programmes like PDM and Emyooga.
President Museveni announced an increase in PDM funding—Shs 300 million per parish in urban areas and Shs 150 million per parish in rural areas—with an additional Shs 15 million for leaders to strengthen coordination and monitoring.
“When it comes to wealth creation, we don’t want spectators. In football, you can have players and spectators—but in wealth creation, everyone must be a player,” he said.
The President also unveiled new initiatives to boost livelihoods in Northern Uganda, including fish farming and livestock restocking. “I saw people planting rice in the swamps—that’s misusing our wetlands. You’ll earn more from fishponds than rice. The government will invest heavily in fish farming in Lango, Teso, Busoga, and Bukedi,” he announced.
On livestock, he revealed plans to restock Northern Uganda with five cows per homestead.
“I proposed five cows per homestead as a democratic and transformative approach. The majority supported it, and I’ve instructed the government to plan for it,” he said.
President Museveni concluded by pledging to prioritise the tarmacking of key roads in the Lango region and upgrade Oyam Health Centre IV to a referral hospital.
The event was attended by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, and religious and cultural leaders.
Later, President Museveni met journalists from the Lango Sub-region at Balaregi State Lodge.