NRM’S National Treasurer, Nekesa Hails Museveni’s PDM Success as Thousands of Busia Beneficiaries Share Transformative Stories

BUSIA, Uganda – Thousands of Parish Development Model (PDM) beneficiaries in Busia District over the weekend poured out stories of household transformation and economic progress when they met National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Treasurer Barbara Nekesa Oundo, warmly thanking President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for championing poverty eradication at the grassroots.

Nekesa, who is currently on a monitoring and orientation tour in Samia Bugwe, inspected projects, assessed progress and engaged farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs on the proper utilisation of PDM funds. She emphasised that the money must be invested in productive enterprises rather than wasted on luxury items.

Crowds of beneficiaries, many of them women and youth running small livestock, crop and trading ventures, told Nekesa how the revolving funds had enabled them to expand businesses, improve household incomes and move out of subsistence. Several speakers described the programme as a direct result of President Museveni’s long-standing commitment to wealth creation at the household level.

“We are seeing real change in our homes because of the guidance and support from the President through PDM,” one beneficiary said during the interaction. Others echoed the gratitude, noting increased production, better market access and greater financial discipline since receiving the funds.

Nekesa used the engagements to reinforce the core purpose of the Parish Development Model. She oriented participants on prioritising income-generating activities, proper record-keeping and collective responsibility within their parish savings groups. She cautioned against diverting the funds to non-productive spending, describing luxury consumption as a threat to the sustainability of the programme.

“These funds are meant to fight poverty in our homes, not to buy things that do not grow wealth,” Nekesa told the gatherings. “Use the money wisely on enterprises that will keep giving returns. That is how we honour the President’s vision and ensure every household advances.”

The NRM National Treasurer inspected several ongoing projects in the Samia Bugwe area, interacting with beneficiaries on challenges such as market linkages, post-harvest handling and access to further support. She pledged continued follow-up to ensure accountability and to identify best practices that can be replicated across other parishes.

Local leaders and technical officers accompanying the tour reported steady uptake of the model in Busia District, with many groups already generating visible returns. Beneficiaries repeatedly linked their progress to the political will demonstrated by President Museveni in rolling out and defending the PDM as a key pillar of Uganda’s poverty reduction strategy.

Nekesa’s visit forms part of broader efforts by NRM leaders to monitor implementation of government programmes on the ground, provide orientation and reinforce the message of productive investment. As she concluded the day’s engagements, she reiterated that sustained success depends on beneficiaries treating the funds as capital for growth rather than short-term consumption.

The stories shared in Busia add to a growing body of grassroots testimonies pointing to the Parish Development Model’s potential when properly managed. For the thousands who met Nekesa, the message was clear: gratitude to President Museveni, commitment to disciplined use of the funds, and determination to turn household poverty into lasting prosperity.