Why Museveni’s PDM tours are a political masterstroke ahead of 2026

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OPINION

By Habibu Sseruwagi

As Uganda approaches the 2026 general election, President Yoweri Museveni’s intensified nationwide tours under the Parish Development Model (PDM) are emerging not merely as development engagements, but as a calculated political strategy that is reshaping the country’s electoral landscape.

Launched in 2022, the PDM was a cornerstone of Museveni’s 2021 campaign manifesto. Its goal: To move nearly 40% of Ugandan households out of subsistence farming and into the cash economy. With sh100m allocated annually per parish and over 2.6 million direct beneficiaries, the programme promised transformation.

Now, as the President tours parishes across the country, the initiative has taken on a dual purpose — delivering development and mobilising political loyalty.

MANIFESTO IN ACTION: DELIVERING THE PROMISE

By physically touring districts from Busoga to Kampala, Museveni reinforces his commitment to development while validating his political credibility.

“This is what PDM is about — empowering you to grow!” he recently told a young farmer in Kasanje, after inspecting her thriving maize field funded through a PDM grant. In Kaazi village, he went further, warning locals: “This money is yours — defend it from thieves.”These hands-on interactions position Museveni not just as a policymaker, but as a guardian of economic empowerment. His pledge to jail and recover stolen funds from corrupt officials — “We are going to sell their property... they will return our money” — resonates deeply in communities long burdened by embezzlement.

Although framed as development outreach, the tours carry subtle, but unmistakable political undertones. The charismatic leader regularly urges voters to support National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidates to ensure uninterrupted implementation of PDM.

His speeches highlight NRM’s delivery record with what he calls the Opposition’s “empty politicking.” He ties success stories to NRM’s governance — casting development both as policy and as party identity. This approach allows him to campaign without formally declaring it — transforming service delivery into strategic voter mobilisation.

ECONOMIC IMPACT: LOYALTY THROUGH LIVELIHOODS

The PDM’s rollout has provided tangible benefits to ordinary Ugandans:

Brickmakers in Kasangati received promises of new equipment after Museveni visited their worksite.

Hajjat Mariam Bayega in Luwero used sh12m to expand her poultry and coffee business — Museveni personally pledged a solar-powered irrigation pump to support her. Savings and credit cooperative societies (SACCOS) formed by groups like the Seven Hills Cleaning Association have enabled members to start retail businesses and support their families.

“Our lives have not remained the same,” said Mentor Salim from Seven Hills. “We can now earn a living and cater for our families.” This gratitude among recipients is evidently first evolving into political allegiance.

Local reactions have ranged from celebration to critique, which the President seems to love as a way of empowering the public to play a crucial role of oversight and monitoring in the implementation of the policy.

Tony Ngabo, chairperson of the Wakiso Journalists SACCOS, applauded the initiative. “We have moved from just looking for news. We have entered the money economy.” While Zahrah Luyirika, speaker of Kampala Capital City Authority, expressed frustration.

“They brought Museveni to launch people’s projects instead of addressing the real issues,” she said, pointing out the exclusion of key leaders from PDM forums. Although from the Opposition, criticism like these would most certainly help the President in drawing improved policy framework to make the new fund even better and more efficient going forward. This blend of admiration and skepticism underscores the political weight these tours carry.

OPPOSITION SQUEEZED OUT

In areas visited by Museveni, reports of opposition posters defaced and local dissent muffled are on the rise. As PDM channels development to rural constituencies, traditional opposition strongholds — particularly urban centres — feel the squeeze.

With resources, visibility and growing beneficiary loyalty gravitating toward the NRM, opposition parties face mounting challenges in maintaining relevance, especially without a unified message or alternative development agenda.

ELECTION OPTICS AND THE ROAD TO 2026

Strategically, Museveni’s tours align with key political timelines. His Kampala visit coincided with NRM primaries, and the final rally at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds closed a two-year wealth creation campaign. These are not coincidences — they are a carefully choreographed narrative of delivery, stability, and leadership.

By immersing himself in parish-level success stories and reframing development as continuity, Museveni has launched a de facto campaign that is deeply rooted in transformation rather than rhetoric.

His PDM tours reflect a savvy fusion of policy and politics, where national development becomes a lever for political consolidation.

With powerful testimonies from citizens, visible results in local communities, and strategic messaging that blends delivery with mobilisation, Museveni is positioning himself not only as a candidate for re-election, but as the architect of Uganda’s transformation.

As 2026 approaches, these tours may ultimately shape Uganda’s political future — not through campaign rallies or manifestos, but through maize fields, SACCOS meetings and solar pumps.

The writer is a member of the Equal Opportunities Commission