President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on Ugandans to fully embrace the Parish Development Model (PDM), saying it holds immense potential to lift communities out of poverty and create far more employment than government jobs can provide.
Speaking on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at a rally held at Wabinyonyi Playground in Nakasongola Town Council, President Museveni emphasised that wealth creation through grassroots enterprises and commercial agriculture is the most sustainable path to employment and national prosperity.
“People waste a lot of time chasing government jobs, yet there are only 480,000 civil service positions in a country of 46 million. The private sector, especially under PDM, is where the real job opportunities lie,” said Museveni, concluding a three-day assessment tour of PDM and wealth creation initiatives in Greater Luwero.
The President cited successful examples of Ugandans already thriving under PDM. These included Minister Fred Byamukama, who employs 26 people on his 4-acre farm, and Nyakana Richard of Kabarole, who uses just 1.2 acres to employ 15 workers.
“Uganda has 40 million acres of arable land. If we used just 7 million like Nyakana and created 15 jobs per acre, we’d generate 105 million jobs — more than the country’s population,” Museveni said. “We’d even have to import workers.”
He noted that while factories already employ 1.2 million people, triple the number in government service, young people must shift their focus to commercial farms, factories, and service sectors, or become job creators themselves.
He emphasised six pillars critical to national transformation — peace, security, development, wealth, health, and education — and urged citizens to support the ruling NRM party for its inclusive and unity-based approach.
“This road to Gulu has been tarmacked for 60 years, but people living along it remain poor. NRM wants more than just infrastructure—we want household incomes,” Museveni said.
He outlined the evolution of wealth creation programs since 1995 — from Entandikwa to NAADS, OWC, Emyooga, and now PDM — highlighting successful beneficiaries like: Joseph Ijara of Serere, earning over Shs 1 billion annually from eggs and milk, Hajjat Mariam Baiga (Ssekamuli, Luwero), Nalubowa Aida (Nakaseke), and Tumusiime Deziranta (64), who started with just Shs 1 million from PDM.
Museveni projected that in 10 years, well-managed parish SACCOs could be running banks worth Shs 1.6 billion, significantly reducing dependence on costly moneylenders.
“If you borrow Shs 1 million through PDM, you repay Shs 1.12 million after two years — not exorbitant. But I hear people blaming SACCO leaders for nepotism. The solution is simple: get involved. These SACCOs belong to everyone above 18 in your parish,” he urged.
In response to requests from local leaders, the President promised a special fund for fishermen, commending the Fisheries Protection Unit for restoring order on Uganda’s lakes.
The event was attended by several ministers, MPs, and local leaders. Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, NRM’s Vice Chairperson for Central Region, thanked Museveni for visiting Greater Luwero and recognising its role in wealth creation.
MPs Mutebi Noah Wanzala (Nakasongola) and Zawedde Victorious (Woman MP) appealed for a special land fund to compensate absentee landlords displacing tenants.
