President Yoweri Museveni has directed all Parish Development Model (PDM) leaders and SACCO officials to stop demanding collateral security from beneficiaries, particularly youth, before disbursing PDM funds.
The directive was issued during his interaction with journalists from the Kigezi sub-region, held at Irenga State Lodge in Ntungamo District on Wednesday.
“This habit is wrong and must stop immediately,” President Museveni declared. “The PDM is designed for people still engaged in subsistence farming so they can escape the poverty trap. Beneficiaries only need to present a clear plan showing how they intend to use the funds profitably.”
The President was responding to a question from Moses Muhwezi, a journalist with Country Radio in Rukungiri, who highlighted complaints that some SACCO leaders habitually exclude young people from accessing PDM money on grounds that they lack property to offer as collateral. He said that 30 per cent of PDM funds should be given to youth.
During the interaction, President Museveni reiterated that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government has focused on seven key pillars: peace and security, infrastructure development, wealth and job creation, improved service delivery, market access, and regional political integration.
He criticized opposition presidential candidates for ignoring the critical issue of market access and continental integration in their manifestos, insisting that without guaranteed markets, no African country can achieve sustainable development.
“When I listen to these so-called presidential candidates moving around the country making all sorts of noise, you never hear them talk about markets for Africa,” President Museveni said. He gave a practical example: “In Uganda we now produce over 5.3 billion litres of milk annually, yet domestically we only consume about 800 million litres. Where do you expect the surplus 4.5 billion litres to go if we don’t have a consolidated regional or continental market?”
The President stressed that creating and accessing large, reliable markets remains the missing link in Africa’s economic transformation, and any leader who fails to prioritise it is not serious about development.
President Museveni also urged Ugandans seeking jobs in Arab countries to remain at home and create their own employment using available government programmes and opportunities. He cautioned against politics based on religion and sectarianism, saying such practices hinder national development.
He clarified the difference between national development and individual wealth creation, noting that a country can register impressive development while some citizens remain poor if they do not participate in poverty-alleviation initiatives.
President Museveni called on voters to hold their elected leaders accountable and use them to fight corruption among civil servants.