President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has warned Parish Development Model (PDM) Sacco leaders against discriminating eligible beneficiaries, saying no Ugandan should be denied support based on their financial status.
The President made the remarks on Wednesday during a press conference with journalists from the Kigezi Sub-region at Ntungamo State Lodge, shortly after concluding his campaign trail in the area.
He said PDM funds are designed to uplift households in the subsistence economy and must be accessed fairly.
“The PDM money is for all eligible Ugandans in the parish. Nobody should be excluded because they are poor or because of any other bias,” Museveni cautioned.
“Those who are blocking people must stop it. This money is meant to help them progress.”
The President also challenged opposition presidential candidates to clearly state their stance on East African regional integration, stressing that regional markets and a political federation are critical for Africa’s strategic and economic future.“Our survival as Africans lies in unity,” Museveni said.
“We need bigger markets and a united region. Ugandans should support leaders who understand national development and regional integration.”
Addressing agricultural transformation, Museveni announced that government will accelerate irrigation schemes across the Kigezi Sub-region to boost food production and stabilize farming activities affected by changing weather patterns.
He pointed to the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development in Bushenyi as an example of how irrigation and fertilization have transformed yields.“Irrigation has helped farmers in Bushenyi multiply their output.
We are going to bring the same interventions to Kigezi. The designs and plans are already in progress,” he stated.
Museveni further revealed that government is designing a comprehensive wetland conservation and irrigation plan to support agriculture and promote fish farming.
He encouraged residents to focus on profitable ventures supported through government initiatives such as PDM, Emyooga, the Youth Livelihood Programme, and the Women Empowerment Fund.
“We must use these funds to create wealth. The four-acre model is the way to go for households that want to improve their incomes,” he added
The President also issued a stern warning to clerics in Kigezi against preaching sectarian politics, describing it as divisive and counterproductive to national development.“Religious leaders should unite people, not divide them,” Museveni said. “Sectarianism is poisonous. Let us focus on wealth creation and transforming our communities.”
President Museveni is expected to continue his national engagements as he prepares for the 2026 General Elections.
