President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon Ugandans to take the Parish Development Model (PDM) seriously because of its huge potential to get them out of poverty and generate more employment opportunities than the government can provide.
According to the President, wealth creation at the grassroots level, particularly through commercial agriculture and small-scale enterprises, is the key to sustainable job creation in Uganda. “People waste a lot of time looking for government jobs. And the leaders also do not explain very well that in a developing country, there are more jobs in the private sector than in the government because the government jobs are few. The government jobs (civil servants, police, the army, teachers, and health workers) are 480,000. The population of Uganda is 46 million. So, how can they be satisfied? The people who are doing the PDM era are already employing people,” President Museveni said.
He made the remarks while addressing a rally at Wabinyonyi playground, Nakasongola Town Council, Nakasongola district, as he concluded his three-day performance assessment tour on the Parish Development Model and other wealth creation activities in Greater Luwero.
President Museveni gave an example of the Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, who is employing 26 people on his 4-acre model farm, and one Nyakana Richard of Rwengaaju in Kabarole, who is employing 15 people, using 1.2 acres of land. “Uganda has 40 million acres of arable land. I was calculating that if we used only seven million acres like Nyakana has done, and each acre created 15 jobs, we would have 105 million jobs, more than all the people of Uganda. We would have so many jobs to the extent of importing workers,” the President noted.
President Museveni added that the factories are already employing 1.2 million people, three times more than in the government. “You, the parents, need to advise your children that the government jobs are limited. You prepare yourself to work in commercial farms, factories, and service sectors or become a job creator in the commercial agricultural sector,” he stressed.
The President hinged his address on six pillars, namely, peace, security, development, wealth, health, and education, as key to achieving socio-economic transformation, while emphasizing that they should be handled carefully through prioritization in the spirit of patriotism. “You people should continue supporting the NRM, which believes in unity for all Ugandans, and that’s one of the pillars of peace,” he said.
Museveni emphasized that whereas development (enkulakulana) reflected in social services such as roads, health centers, schools, and electricity is crucial, wealth creation and fighting household poverty should be everybody’s concern. “This road to Gulu was tarmacked soon after independence and has been tarmacked since that time for 60 years, but up to now, there are poor people residing around it. So, NRM does not want you to only talk about development but also household incomes,” he said, adding that it’s the reason the NRM, since 1995 has been supporting the wealth creation drive through initiatives such as Entandikwa, NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Emyooga, and now PDM.
The President pointed out a few people who have listened and are doing well, such as Joseph Ijara of Serere, who uses two and a half acres to do poultry and livestock, earning him more than Shs 1 billion a year through selling eggs and milk, with profits amounting to over Shs800 million per year. Others are Hajjat Mariam Baiga in Ssekamuli, Bamunaanika in Luwero, Nalubowa Aida of Nakaseke, and a 64-year-old Tumusiime Deziranta who just started with Shs 1 million from PDM and is doing well.
According to President Museveni, if the PDM is taken seriously, the parish SACCOs will reach an extent of owning banks worth Shs 1.6 billion in 10 years, and this will save them the burden of running to money lenders who charge them exorbitant profits.
After two years, a PDM beneficiary who received Shs 1 million is expected to return it with an interest of Shs 120,000 only. “So please, don’t neglect this. I heard people blaming the Sacco leaders for prioritizing family members and friends. This is because you don’t go there. A parish Sacco is for everybody above 18 years in that parish, and when you meet, that’s how you elect your Sacco leaders. Be active and get involved,” President Museveni stressed.
President Museveni also promised to set up a special fund for the fishermen after leaders appreciated him for protecting the lakes through the fisheries protection unit, which has streamlined fishing activities.
The NRM Vice National Chairperson for central region, Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi appreciated President Museveni for visiting greater Luwero. “We know the President has not been able to reach everybody, but his tour is a gesture of appreciation for what we are doing as the Greater Luwero in terms of wealth creation,” Hon. Kiwanda said.
The Member of Parliament for Nakasongola County, Hon. Mutebi Noah Wanzala, and the area woman MP Zawedde Victorious called for a special land fund to compensate absentee landlords who are evicting tenants.
The ceremony was also attended by Ministers, Members of Parliament, NRM leaders, among others.