BY ARINDA NSHEKA
The State Minister for Finance in charge of General Duties, Hon. Henry Musasizi, called upon all stakeholders in Rubanda District to support the Parish Development Model (PDM) to ensure its success in the region. He has also expressed his aspiration for Rubanda District to serve as a model for PDM success nationwide.
Musasizi shared these sentiments on a Saturday while addressing members of the Hamuhambo Town Council Poultry Keepers Project, an association comprising 301 poultry enthusiasts. He commended the project members for their efforts, aligned with the government’s mission to enhance the population’s livelihoods and eradicate poverty.
During the meeting, Musasizi encouraged those who haven’t yet enrolled in PDM to embrace the program, emphasizing its transformative potential. He stated, “If you have the one million Ugandan Shillings that the government provides through PDM, you can invest it in purchasing chicks and enhance your capacity as a poultry farmer. The government is here to provide you with capital to lift you from the subsistence economy.”
He assured the attendees that PDM would succeed and invited them to support him in making this vision a reality. He expressed strong confidence that Rubanda District could set an example of PDM success for the entire country.
Musasizi also revealed that some parish chiefs undermined PDM efforts by allocating seed money or capital to ineligible recipients, while others were involved in corrupt practices. He urged Ugandans to report such misconduct to the police or the Office of the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs).
“No one will be allowed to hinder government efforts to alleviate poverty. Individuals sabotaging PDM should be reported to me as your MP, the police, or the RDC’s office. We won’t let our efforts go to waste. You elected us as your representatives, and now we must act to ensure you benefit from these funds,” Musasizi emphasized.
Moses Muramira, the association’s chairman, mentioned that their members had been able to sell poultry and pay for their children’s education. He further outlined their goal to have at least 100 hens per household by the year 2025.
To bolster the association’s capacity, Minister Musasizi contributed five million Ugandan Shillings.
The government initiated the implementation of PDM in February of the previous year, intending to benefit 16.1 million Ugandans, or 3.5 million households, currently living in subsistence economies. Through this program, the government has disbursed up to 100 million Ugandan Shillings to each parish throughout the country, which will be used as a revolving fund to support members of Saving and Credit Cooperative Organizations (Sacco).