Joshua Nahamya
28 February 2025
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has commenced the tour of the Parish Development Model program in the Ankole sub-region monitoring and assessing the program’s impact in the region.
The president has commended leaders and the populace in the area specifically Rubirizi district for the effective utilization of the PDM funds without registering cases of corruption and misappropriation.
Museveni asked all leaders in the region to bear his vision of alleviating people from poverty for social economic transformation and national development.
He said all this while visiting Dezirenta Tumusiime in Kazurugo village, Magambo Sub County who received Shs 1mln PDM funds in 2023 that she used to buy a pig and a goat that have since multiplied to 6 pigs and 5 goats now.
Dezirenta Tumusiime, a farmer in Rubirizi district while at her home telling President Museveni how she has thrived using PDM funds she managed to received in 2023.
The President pledged continuous support for the intended programme to fight poverty which is still stuck within people’s homes.
“PDM money I don’t want it to get back to the government because in government there is no poverty, poverty is here so we shall keep adding you one million every year so that in 5 years, every parish will have Shs 50mln” Museveni stated
“This means that in 5 years in your parish you will have Shs 50mln Shs from the government which are not returned but remain being revolved to develop yourselves at household level”
He appealed to the beneficiaries not to default the money but to start paying the revolving fund after two years to help others benefit.
“After two years it means that 300 people will have refunded the one million meaning that after a 5 year term of government, in each parish there will be Shs 800mln. And if we do that with in two terms of government, your parish will be equipped with its own bank”
He said that during the two terms of government, each parish will have received Shs 1.6bln encouraging them to form cooperatives.
“In every parish make your own credit and savings society at a parish level then for us we give you your own money and work for yourselves”
A delegation of MPs in Ankole sub-region waiting waiting for president Museveni for sa PDM tour
For the people of this parish, I want to thank you because when we brought the money, you received it and you’re developing yourselves thanks so much” Adding that, it seems you don’t have thieves who steal from the poor. Stealing from the poor, don’t you see that you will be going to hell?”
On his part, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa challenged leaders to emulate President Yoweri Museveni’s message to monitor the performance of the PDM program and make it a success in their respective districts to ensure social-economic transformation.
“What has remained is to see that as leaders we should go down and see how the people are using this PDM money” added that the president came faster than us but I think this is a big task that we must interested ourselves,” he noted
Tayebwa also reminded the president about the pledge he made in 2018 when a fuel tank exploded and burnt people and their property especially those who were doing business near the road at Kyambura village in Rubirizi district.
“President we thank you for the support you extended to the families which lost their loved ones in during an accident here in 2018, but their many people who lost their property and their hands are tied that have been calling for the government support which I think we should send a team here and make an assessment to extend some support to their survivors as well.” He said
From Rubirizi, President Museveni will visit another farmer in Sheema, Ibanda, and commission the Ankole Presidential Hub in Mbarara District on Wednesday, meet leaders of Ankole Sub Region in Bushenyi district, and conclude the presidential PDM tour of the Ankole sub-region on Friday with a public rally at Mwizi P/S in Rwampara district.
Ankole Sub-Region is comprised of 12 districts that include Buhweju, Bushenyi, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kazo, Kiruhura, Mbarara, Mitooma, Ntungamo, Rubirizi, Rwampara and Sheema Districts, 04 Municipal Councils of Bushenyi-Ishaka, Ibanda, Ntungamo and Sheema Municipal Councils and one city of Mbarara.
