Museveni warns Police again over PDM thieves

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President Yoweri Museveni has again warned the Police against granting bail to anyone involved in stealing livestock or funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme.

The President, who is also the commander-in-chief of Uganda’s armed forces, said any Police officer doing so risks being dismissed.

The President sounded the warning on May 12, 2025, afternoon while addressing PDM beneficiaries at St Peter’s Church of Uganda in Kasese municipality, where he stressed that any Police officer who colluded with suspected thieves risk being charged with sabotaging government programs.

President Museveni issued the warning on the first day of his tour of the Rwenzori sub-region, where he is visiting PDM beneficiaries to assess the program's impact on the ground.

“I will arrest any Police officer giving the suspected PDM thieves bail because I banned it,” he said.

He urged the stakeholders to expose such Police officers so that their district Police commanders can also be arrested for not implementing the President’s order.

He urged the residents to report such errant DPCs to their Members of Parliament, who can then inform the Prime Minister or the Vice-President, who will, in turn, tell the President.

“We shall arrest that Policeman or woman and sack him or her. Ugandans looking for jobs are many. We shall be able to replace such errant officers,” Museveni further warned.

The President issued the warning during his visit to a poultry project owned by Billa Peluce Muyinga, a 65-year-old woman with visual impairment and a resident of Kizungu Cell in Kasese Municipality.

She explained that she had received sh1m under PDM and used it to start a poultry business, enabling her to stop begging on the streets.

She said she had at first bought 200 chicks and sold them, buying 250 in the second round, which she had expanded too.

She, however, said she couldn’t afford specialised medical treatment for her eyes at Mulago Hospital.

During the event, the President donated sh20m in cash to support her poultry project.

Meanwhile, Kasese District Chairperson Erifaz Muhindi pledged to fully implement the President’s directive on cracking down on thieves of the PMD.

Challenges cultural, religious leaders

While in Ntoroko district, the President urged religious and cultural leaders to actively participate in helping government to fight poverty.

He was visiting another PDM beneficiary, Steven Kisembo, a 34-year-old resident of Kisungu II Cell in West Ward, Kibuuku Town Council, Ntoroko District, who now owns 18 goats up from four.

According to a statement issued by the Presidential Press Unit (PPU), President Museveni challenged them to go beyond preaching and tradition to guiding communities toward economic transformation.

“People being poor in a country that has everything is a big mistake and it’s largely a failure in leadership,” the President said.

“I’m not just talking about political leaders, but also religious and cultural ones. These should be like parents to the people,” he mentioned.

The President also questioned how spiritual and traditional leaders can claim moral authority yet fail to provide practical guidance on livelihoods.

“How can you be a pastor or cultural leader when you can’t even feed the flock with real solutions?” he asked.

The President, who is also the national chairman of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) political party, emphasised that Ugandans must listen to the message of the NRM if they are to thrive economically.

“This country is easy to work in. Take goats, for example, they can produce two or even three kids in just six months,” he said, stressing that ignoring NRM's tested guidance is a mistake.

NRM message not theory

He reminded the gathering that the NRM’s message is not theory but practical.

“We started with just 27 guns and succeeded. We know what we are talking about,” he said.

He said he had started transforming his people in Ankole in 1966 from nomadism to modern dairy farming.

Four-Acre Model sustainable

“By 1995, Nyabushozi had changed. Then in 1996, we put the Four-Acre Model in our manifesto,” he noted.

Under this model, he explained, one acre is for coffee, one for fruits like mangoes or citrus, one for pasture for livestock, and the fourth one for food crops.

“This is a sustainable way out of poverty. We also introduced Entandikwa to give people a starting point,” he added.

I have divine responsibility

President Museveni also mentioned that his leadership is a divine responsibility.

“I am working for God. He gave me the blessing to lead, and if I mislead or fail to help the people, He can punish me,” he said.

He called on local leaders to closely monitor PDM implementation, promising that more support would be added.



The President also donated sh10m to Kisembo to help him buy two acres of land and expand his goat project.

Kisembo thanked President Museveni for the PDM initiative, saying that it had really improved the livelihoods of Ugandans.