KAMPALA.
President Museveni has today met with journalists from Kampala City in a dialogue focused on the Parish Development Model (PDM), other ongoing national development programs, and the welfare of media professionals.
The meeting held at State Lodge, Nakasero, 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 subsistence way of life into the money economy.
He noted that the PDM is more effective than previous programs 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 minimizing leakages.
President Museveni also criticized local leaders for failing to engage journalists in spreading the PDM message and pledged to hold them accountable for this oversight.
The President further ordered for 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 program.
Addressing fears that relocating beneficiaries may default on loans, he reassured the audience that all beneficiaries are traceable through their National Identity Cards.
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 stabilize the Ugandan currency.
President Museveni further reiterated his commitment to supporting urban communities, announcing an immediate increase in funding for ghetto groups to Shs1 billion per SACCO in Kampala and promising to boost PDM allocations for urban centers following Cabinet discussions.
As a gesture of support to the media fraternity, the President contributed Shs100 million to the Journalists SACCO in Kampala. He also donated a van to support their transport needs and provided an additional Shs60 million shillings 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.
The Minister of State for ICT, Hon. 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.