Museveni rebukes leaders for failing to engage media on PDM implementation

KAMPALA - President Yoweri Museveni has also criticised local leaders for failing to engage journalists in spreading the PDM message.

Meeting with journalists from Kampala city in a dialogue focused on the Parish Development Model (PDM), other ongoing national development programmes and the welfare of media professionals on July 20, 2025, the President pledged to hold the leaders accountable for this oversight.

The meeting held at State Lodge, Nakasero, on July 20, 2025, provided an opportunity for journalists to raise concerns, seek clarifications and offer feedback on the government’s flagship poverty alleviation initiatives.

During the engagement, President Museveni was impressed with the score made by the PDM, saying it has managed to elevate some Ugandans from a subsistence way of life into the money economy.

He noted that the PDM is more effective than previous programmes like NAADS and Operation Wealth Creation, which were marred by irregularities. He said he was happy that PDM funds are directly deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts, thus minimising leakages.

President Museveni noted that PDM is a socio-economic empowerment fund meant to avail financial support to all entrepreneurial ideas from people qualified for the programme.

Street vendor inclusion

The President further ordered the inclusion of street vendors in Kampala City and other micro business owners on the list of Parish Development Model beneficiaries. He said they may benefit under the commerce category.

President Museveni noted that PDM is a socio-economic empowerment fund meant to avail financial support to all entrepreneurial ideas from people qualified for the programme.

Addressing fears that relocating beneficiaries may default on loans, he reassured the audience that all beneficiaries are traceable through their national identity cards.

‎Compensation of initial Mailo land owners

President Museveni further revealed that the government is fast-tracking the compensation of initial Mailo landowners, especially in Buganda region, to give land rights to tenants to spur development.

He explained that the historical land injustices by colonialists who unfairly donated mailo land to their collaborators without due consideration of land rights for other nationals who owned the same land at that time was the cause of the long-term land wrangles that have stayed up to now.

On the issue of taxation, the President dismissed claims of government overtaxing traders, stating that high taxes are primarily levied on luxury goods and importers to protect the local economy. He credited this policy for helping to stabilise the Ugandan currency.

President Museveni further reiterated his commitment to supporting urban communities, announcing an immediate increase in funding for ghetto groups to shillings one billion per SACCO in Kampala and promising to boost PDM allocations for urban centres following Cabinet discussions.

As a gesture of support to the media fraternity, the President contributed shillings 100 million to the Journalists SACCO in Kampala.

He also donated a van to support their transport needs and provided an additional shillings 60 million to help them purchase land.

On their part, the journalists expressed gratitude to President Museveni for the support and the countrywide tour to promote the PDM.

ICT state minister Joyce Ssebugwawo acknowledged the financial challenges facing journalists and praised the President’s contributions, expressing hope that the SACCO initiative would improve their economic welfare.