Museveni orders for household census in Kampala to refine PDM budgeting

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President Yoweri Museveni has directed local authorities in Kampala's five divisions to establish accurate data on the number of households within their jurisdictions to help in the equitable allocation of funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM).

The order was issued on Saturday, July 19, 2025, during the President's inspection tour of PDM projects in Kampala.

While interacting with a group of beneficiaries at Kyambogo Complex Parish in Nakawa Division the Museveni emphasised the need for a data-driven approach to planning and budgeting for the PDM program.

 A release from the Presidential Press Unit (PPU) states that Museveni observed that the uniform allocation of sh100m per parish annually is insufficient for urban centres with dense populations and high demand for financial support.

“In the towns, I want to know how many parishes and how many homesteads are in each parish so that when we plan, we shall give over sh1m plus some additional funding, based on the number of homes in that parish,” said President Museveni.

He noted that urban parishes, like those in Kampala, are experiencing overwhelming demand for PDM funds, and the current funding structure fails to cater effectively to the high number of eligible households.

During the tour, President Museveni, who was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Museveni, inspected the poultry enterprise of Ms. Lillian Mbabazi, who used her shillings one million PDM package to launch a successful business.

Mbabazi initially purchased 125 broiler chicks with sh350,000 and invested the remaining funds in feed and poultry housing. After a month, she sold the broilers for sh1.5m and reinvested in a second round, earning sh2.6m. Her success did not stop there. She later bought 250 more chicks at sh700,000 and sold them for sh3.2m. Eventually, she transitioned into layer chicken farming for egg production, purchasing chicks at sh6,500 each. After three months, her hens began laying, and she now collects six trays of eggs daily.

In the company of her husband, Samuel Rukundo, Mbabazi expressed gratitude to the President and the government for initiating the PDM.

“I was badly off due to COVID-19. But now my children go to school, and we’re doing well. I have sh3 million in savings, and recently I also started selling juice and potato chips,” she said.

Despite her success, she voiced concern over her lack of a permanent home, stating that her current residence, set up on Kyambogo University land, restricts the expansion of her enterprise.

President Museveni congratulated Mbabazi for exemplifying the benefits of PDM and gave her sh10 million to scale up her poultry business.

He also and pledged to buy two acres of land for her permanent settlement and farming projects.

“When I come here and see that Rukundo and Mbabazi have implemented one of the seven items under the four-acre model, then I feel very happy,” Museveni stated.

The President also gave sh10m in cash to each PDM beneficiary from the Kyambogo complex parish.

Addressing crowds, the gathered in the area, President Museveni used the opportunity to reflect on Uganda’s economic transformation journey since independence. 

He underscored the challenge of transitioning the population from subsistence farming to a money economy, citing that in the 1960s, only 4% of households were integrated into the monetary system.

He explained that Uganda’s traditional economy revolved around “3 Cs and 3 Ts”—cotton, copper, coffee, tobacco, tea, and tourism. 

While some communities, particularly in Buganda and Northern Uganda, engaged in commercial farming, the majority remained in subsistence agriculture.

“In my district, Ntungamo, there were six shops for Indians and Arabs. But we had land, banana plantations, and cows, just for home consumption. This has been our struggle,” President Museveni said.

To reverse this, he initiated the four-acre model, a strategic framework advocating for diversified farming focusing on items such as coffee, fruits, pasture for dairy, food crops, and backyard enterprises such as poultry, piggery, or fish farming.

“Those who listened have developed. Masaka focused on coffee and is doing well. Poultry and dairy are also transforming lives,” he remarked.

President Museveni also narrated the historical evolution of government-led wealth creation initiatives, from the Entandikwa program through LC structures to NAADS and eventually Operation Wealth Creation (OWC).

While OWC saw a marked improvement in integrating Ugandans into the money economy, reaching 61% by 2020, President Museveni expressed discontent over reports of favouritism by UPDF officers.

“I started hearing stories that the soldiers were “baali beegabira bokka” (giving to friends and relatives), spoiling the name of the UPDF. I told them, let the army get out. Let’s give money directly to people at their parishes. If they misuse it, God is there; he will deal with them,” the President narrated.

He cited Mbabazi 's success as a vindication of the shift to direct disbursement of funds under the PDM.

Highlighting the case of Kawempe Division, President Museveni noted that with 22 parishes each receiving sh100 million annually, a total of sh6.6 billion has been injected into approximately 7,000 households over the past three years.

“This money, if used wisely, can transform lives. You don’t need a moneylender who charges sh400,000 per month, sh5.8 million a year. With PDM, you return sh1 million plus sh120,000 interest in two years,” Museveni explained, further urging beneficiaries to understand the revolving nature of PDM and not expect lump-sum access to the fund, emphasising that with patience, all will benefit.

President Museveni’s visit to Kyambogo marked one of the penultimate events of his nationwide PDM sensitisation tour, which has seen him crisscross the country to evaluate impact, inspire uptake, and recalibrate the program’s delivery.

The grand finale will be held Sunday, July 20, at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, where a mega rally is expected to draw thousands of Kampala residents.

The event in Kyambogo was also attended by key government figures, including Government Chief Whip Hamson Denis Obua, National PDM Coordinator Denis Galabuzi Ssozi, KCCA Executive Director, Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki and her deputy, Benon Kigenyi, Presidential Advisors Hajjat Sarah Kanyike and Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi, among others.