Govt says all citizens are free to join PDM SACCOs

KAMPALA - The Ugandan government has opened up the membership of the Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCOs to allow all parish residents to become members.

According to PDM national coordinator Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, the move is aimed at expanding participation, strengthening accountability, and deepening grassroots ownership.

In a press briefing at the Uganda Media Centre, Galabuzi said the changes mark a fundamental shift in how parish-level financial institutions are governed.

“The PDM SACCO does not belong to any individual or group. It belongs to every resident of the parish, and it must be governed accordingly,” he said.

Under the new policy, every parish resident is now eligible to join their local SACCO, regardless of whether they belong to a registered enterprise group.

Two categories of membership have been introduced: enterprise groups (Category A), represented by their leaders, and individual members (Category B), admitted free of charge but with full voting rights.

Galabuzi described the move as a “democratic imperative”, noting that citizens who benefit from public programmes must have a direct say on how they are run.

He, however, clarified that broader membership does not translate into automatic access to government financing. Access to the Parish Revolving Fund will remain restricted to organised enterprise groups to preserve collective responsibility.

“Joining the SACCO gives you a voice in governance, not automatic access to funds,” said Galabuzi.

The reforms will be implemented through Special General Meetings across all parishes, where communities will amend SACCO by-laws, admit new members, elect vetting committees, and choose new leadership.

According to PDM national coordinator Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, the move is aimed at expanding participation, strengthening accountability, and deepening grassroots ownership. (Credit: Nancy Nanyonga)

“These are not ordinary meetings. They are a rare opportunity for communities to reset governance and choose leaders for the next four years,” he added.

Strict vetting procedures will require candidates to demonstrate integrity, leadership experience, and commitment to voluntary service.

The government is also prioritising member education, requiring training in SACCO governance, legal frameworks, and leadership responsibilities to curb mismanagement.

“An informed membership is the most powerful safeguard against corruption,” said Galabuzi, warning of zero tolerance for malpractice, including extortion, fraud, and misuse of funds.

Alongside governance reforms, the government is also scaling up farmer training under the PDM through community-based facilitators and Parish Training Centres.

Beneficiaries will be organised into groups of 30 to 50 farmers and trained on selected enterprises before accessing funds.

Deputy PDM national coordinator Bonnie Kashaija Mutungi said the approach is designed to ensure better utilisation of funds.

“Before you access the revolving fund, you should be well trained by your peers so that the money is invested productively and repaid for the benefit of others,” she said.

The experiential training model emphasises practical learning, enterprise selection, and financial discipline to improve outcomes.

Launched in 2022 by President Yoweri Museveni, the PDM is Uganda’s flagship strategy to transition 3.5 million households from subsistence farming into the money economy.

The programme operates through parish SACCOs that manage the Parish Revolving Fund, which provides affordable credit to organised groups.

Government data shows that more than 10,000 SACCOs have been capitalised, with trillions of shillings so far disbursed to millions of households.