On Saturday 26th, Feb 2022, the Parish Development Model will finally be launched in Kibuku district, Bukedi sub-region, by its chief proponent, President Yoweri Museveni. This is yet another endeavour geared to wealth creation and poverty eradication.
Derived from the Lugwere phrase “okukorela ekida kyonka,” a local language in the launch hosting district, Kibuku which mean “working for the stomach only”, the PDM aims at ending poverty amongst 39% Ugandans, not in the Money economy.
PDM, the government flagship programme also comes as an intervention to lift all Ugandans from the poverty complex as promised by NRM to “Secure the future” of Ugandans in the 2021 general elections as one way for the party to fulfil the contract entered into with Ugandans in the winning Manifesto. It is a development approach conceived under the third National Development Plan (NDP III) and prescribed by the NRM Manifesto 2021-2026.
It is structured to boost wealth creation opportunities and to turn every parish in the country into a model development unit. The intention here is to leave nobody behind, more specifically, paving the way for the 39% of households from subsistence economy to commercial production.
PDM, unlike other government poverty eradication programmes, places the economic power in the hands of communities in real terms, geographically and financially. It also offers decision-making in the hands of beneficiaries who will decide what suits them best in their locality.
The financial inclusion agenda will promote savings and investment by households in the most viable activities with a potential for generating a production surplus for home and local consumption, and the market.
The Model positions the “Parish” as the epicentre and reference unit for planning, implementation, supervision and accountability to drive socio-economic transformation.
At the launch, 10,594 parish SACCOs will be launched. These SACCOS are avenues through which people will be able to obtain financing for development. For starters, each parish will get a revolving fund of Shs17m. Residents will constitute themselves in a format that best fits their development and economic needs based on their unique circumstances.
The Model is designed under seven pillars which include Production, Storage, Processing and Marketing; Infrastructure and Economic Services; Financial Inclusion; Social Services; Mindset change; Parish Based Management Information System; Governance and Administration.
Pre-launch activities
Leaders and technocrats led by Prime Minister Rt Hon Nabbanja Robinah conducted a series of meetings in Kibuku District in preparation for the highly anticipated launch of the Parish Development model this Saturday the 26th February 2022.
Nabbanja in the company of Minister for Local Government Raphael Magyezi, Minister for Bunyoro Affairs Jennifer Namuyangu, National PDM Coordinator Ssozi Galabuzi and other officials spent last week in the Eastern region mobilizing the community on the Parish Development Model and ensuring that everything is set.
The PDM Community Mobilization and Mindset change team have already embarked on the necessary sensitization and training of all stakeholders to implement the economic model.
From the onset, PDM is by far the best empowerment initiative ever envisaged, and should, in a few years of implementation bear out the results of its intended purpose of delivering “socio-economic transformation” as a sign of consistent commitment by the NRM Government to getting everybody in the money economy.