Nabakooba urges Mityana residents to embrace Parish Development Model

The minister who was canvassing Mityana district sub-counties on Thursday, March 2 2023 told the residents that participating in the programme would help them improve their livelihoods which is Government of Uganda’s main goal.

“I urge you residents of Mityana to actively participate in the Parish Development Model programme. The money Government has put in the programme is meant to help fight poverty among people. This money is yours. Please do actively participate by making sure you register with the constituted parish saccos,” she told the residents.

The sub-counties Nabakooba canvassed include: Banda sub-county, Kakindu sub-county and Ssekanyonyi sub-county.

Nabakooba also urged the residents to be transparent and use the money from PDM productively to uplift themselves from poverty. She told the residents more money would be remitted to the district if what has been given to them is put to good use. 

During her visit, the district PDM focal person who also doubles as the district assistant chief administration officer, Emmaniel Zirabamuzale, revealed that 75 saccos had been created in different parishes in the district in an effort to implement the programme.

Zirabamuzale said the beneficiaries of the programme will be required to engage in economic activities in areas such as coffee farming, cattle and chicken raring.

He said the created saccos are required to have at least 11 enterprise groups with a membership of up to 15 members.

Besides creating saccos, he told Nabakooba there had been efforts to sensitise and train PDM leaders in different sub-counties in the district, and that committees to govern the saccos had also been created for effectiveness.

While addressing residents during the minister’s visit, the Mityana district Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Africano Alikundira, said the district had received money from Government to a tune of sh2.64b for the programme.

Alikundira, who also revealed that Mityana district had been listed among the best performing districts in regards to implementation of PDM, said the programme is facing challenges such as opposition from some opposition political leaders who he said are decampaigning the programme saying it would yield to nothing,

“Hon. Minister, I’d like to inform you that one of the challenges we are currently facing is the political leaders most especially from the opposition who are opposing the programme saying it will yield to nothing,” the RDC said.

Nabakooba on the other hand urged the residents not to listen to what some political leaders are saying about the programme contrary to the Government stand.

Alikundira also said the programme is faced with a challenge of operational funding which has led to stalling of the implementation.

“Government officials need to constantly sensitise people about the PDM, the only challenge is that there is no money to do such things because there is no operational funding from Government,” he said.

According to Alikundira, the three sub-counties the minister visited today have so far received sh25 and sh7m meant for the implementation of the PDM.

The PDM is a Government poverty alleviation programme aimed at transforming the lives of the 39% of Ugandans living below the poverty line.

The programme is premised on the model that parish development committees together with common citizens as the end user of the social services are better placed to identify and respond to their own needs, priorities, and direct use of resources.