Summary:
- According to a statement from State House, delivered by Her Excellency the Vice President, Rtd. Maj. Jessica Alupo, most beneficiaries have utilized their seed capital to invest in different enterprises.
KATAKWI: On Thursday, October 17, 2024, several beneficiaries shared their testimonies during a meeting held at the Katakwi District headquarters.
The event, organized by the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga secretariat teams from the Office of the President, gathered various stakeholders.
Katakwi District is composed of 20 sub-counties and town councils, including Katakwi, Ngariam, Toroma, Kapujan, Ongongoja, Usuk, Omodoi, Akoboi, Getom, Usuk Town Council, Magoro, and Katakwi Town Council.
According to a statement from State House, delivered by Her Excellency the Vice President, Rtd. Maj. Jessica Alupo, most beneficiaries have utilized their seed capital to invest in different enterprises.
During the meeting with NRM leaders, clan chairpersons, and other stakeholders, Katakwi District Commercial Officer, Patrick Todi, reported that the district had received 10 billion shillings in the last financial year.
Goloba Mwanga, the PDM pillar manager at the Ministry of Finance, revealed that plans are already underway for the next phase of funding for parish SACCOs across Uganda. He encouraged Katakwi residents to wisely use the one million shillings allocated to them to escape the cycle of poverty.
“As a ministry, we are prepared to release 50 million in January 2025, and another 50 million in June 2025,” Mwanga announced.
Raymond Okello, an officer from the Ministry of Finance, added that the ministry has allocated 500,000 shillings for PDM facilitation, which includes data, airtime, and transport expenses, as well as 100,000 shillings for each parish chief, in addition to their salaries.
Furthermore, one million shillings will be set aside annually for the Parish Development Model Committee’s facilitation.
Okello cautioned individuals against exploiting beneficiaries, emphasizing that the government had made provisions to support those involved in the program’s implementation.
Eng. Raymond Akankwatsa Kamugisha, Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs, assured the youth in Katakwi of the government’s support and urged them to unite and take advantage of technical training opportunities.
Rtd. Maj. Godfrey Katamba, Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Katakwi, condemned acts of extortion targeting parish chiefs and SACCO leaders. He warned that any further attempts to undermine the PDM program through extortion would lead to arrests.
Meanwhile, Sandarac Nseire, Chairman of Wealth Creation in Uganda, called on the attendees to stand against corruption within government programs like PDM. He emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the lives of Ugandans.
Vice President Alupo, who also serves as the Woman MP for Katakwi District, rallied local stakeholders to lead efforts in distributing resources and mobilizing the community for the success of government programs aimed at reducing poverty.
Alupo explained that the purpose of engaging with clan elders, opinion leaders, and NRM mobilizers was to spread awareness about wealth creation, employment opportunities, and poverty alleviation at the household level.
She highlighted that government initiatives, including PDM and Emyooga, are key indicators of the government’s dedication to service delivery and to ensuring that no citizen is left behind in Uganda’s quest to achieve its Vision 2040 of wealth creation and improved livelihoods.
Addressing the gathered leaders, Alupo underscored the importance of fighting poverty, pointing out that the PDM program brings services directly to the people. She noted that PDM funds are now disbursed through mobile money, making it more accessible to beneficiaries.
“Let’s go out and explain these government programs to the people. They have faith in their leaders and want their communities to thrive,” Alupo urged.
In 2022, President Yoweri Museveni officially launched the Parish Development Model (PDM) at Kibuku Primary School in Kibuku District, Bukedi Sub-region. The PDM aims to help individuals at the parish level increase household incomes and participate in the money economy.
The PDM is built around seven key pillars:
Production, storage, processing, and marketing.
Infrastructure and economic services.
Financial inclusion.
Social services.
Community mobilization and mindset change.
Parish-based management information system (data collection).
