Category: Daily Monitor

As Maj Gen (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) presidential flagbearer, embarks on his campaign in Mitooma and Rubirizi districts today, residents are eager to hear his stance on issues that have long affected the area.

Bordering Queen Elizabeth National Park, the two districts have faced persistent human-wildlife conflict. Residents want government to erect an electric fence to prevent animals from straying into communities.

‘We want the government to intensify the process of putting up the electric fence to stop the wild animals from invading our communities,’ said Ms Jeniva Nalongo, a resident of Rubirizi. She added that the area’s tourism potential remains underdeveloped despite its proximity to major attractions. ‘Our tourism sector is underdeveloped yet we are surrounded by great features. We need a facility to help us benefit directly from the park.’

Mr John Twesigye Ntamuhiira, the MP for Bunyaruguru County, faulted the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) over what he termed excessive force.

‘Killing people on site in the national park is a very big issue. A warden should use skills to disable an intruder but not kill him. Yes, the person is wrong to enter illegally, but shooting amounts to murder,’ he said. Land ownership remains another thorny issue. Many residents cannot secure land titles because the area is still registered under the defunct Ankole Kingdom.

‘When they digitised the country, it brought out the issue that the whole district is under Ankole Kingdom. People cannot easily get land titles because they are not bona fide occupants,’ Mr Ntamuhiira explained.

He urged government to inject funds into the Road Fund so absentee landlords can be compensated. ‘This way, people who have been on the land for centuries can fully enjoy their rights.’

Poor infrastructure is also a major grievance. Residents cite the long-delayed upgrade of Katerera road, which would connect Rubirizi with Ibanda, Kitagwenda and Kamwenge.

‘Connectivity is a challenge. Kyambura-Katerera-Kabujogyera road has been a big issue and it would be the easiest route to Kampala, besides linking tourists from Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park,’ Ms Nalongo said.

Farmers in Ndangara and Nyakiyanja parishes also complain of wild animals destroying crops, while others clash with UWA and the National Forest Authority over access to Kalinzu Forest Reserve.

Speaking ahead of his campaign, Gen Muntu outlined his vision for the region. He pledged to promote a banking system that includes both commercial and development banks. ‘These banks will provide funding at lower interest rates with longer repayment terms, enabling entrepreneurs to create jobs,’ he said.

Health

Gen Muntu emphasised the importance of leaders with ’empathy, honesty and strong organisational skills’ to drive development.

He noted that corruption-free leadership was vital for delivering quality education, healthcare, and efficient transport. He also promised to establish a government-run national health insurance programme to ensure access to quality healthcare for all.

As Europe doubles down on migration deals with Tunisia, Libya, and Rwanda-and Italy ships asylum seekers offshore to Albania while Britain clings to its Rwanda plan-Uganda is betting on a different answer.

Each of these European policies speaks to the same fear: that Africa’s young people, without economic pathways at home, will head north. Uganda sits at the heart of this tension. More than half its population is under 18, and another 22.7 percent are aged 18-30, according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics.

By 2050, the population is projected to nearly double to 86.5 million. Without jobs, this ‘youth bulge’ risks spilling across borders-feeding Europe’s migration crisis and fueling instability in East Africa.

‘Many youths still get lured onto risky migration routes,’ warned State Minister for Labour Esther Anyakun, noting that of the more than 500,000 Ugandans working in the Middle East, barely half migrated using regular channels.

At the launch of Uganda’s five-year migration governance plan, government representatives described the country as a ‘regional epicentre for migration-a nexus where people migrate to, through, and from.’ Recently, the Cabinet also approved Uganda’s first National Migration Policy (2024), calling it a framework to ‘harness migration for development while minimising the risks of irregular migration.’

It is against this backdrop that policymakers, employers, and civil society gathered in Kampala on September 17 for the launch of Africa Youth Pathways, Resilience and Systems Change (AYPReS)-a and the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR).

The program’s target is ambitious: move 30 million Africans, 70 percent women, into dignified work by 2030. In Uganda, one of the first proving grounds, the government has also earmarked Shs5 billion for a Graduate Volunteer Scheme and Shs19.48 billion to revamp skilling centers in the 2024/25 budget.

Making policy stick

Many think-tanks about the youths do believe that Uganda’s jobs crisis isn’t about a lack of ideas but that most ideas never move from paper to practice.

The argument here is that policies often arrive too late, miss political timing, or collapse under budget shortfalls, leaving evidence buried in reports while unemployment festers.

Think tanks like the PASGR argue the answer is the Utafiti Sera ‘research-to-policy’ house-less an academic hub than a pressure valve between evidence and power.

The model maps influence, convenes policymakers early, and pushes research into live debates before the window closes. In Kenya, a similar house helped shape the 2023 Social Protection Act, guided reforms in university financing, and brought agriculture and health evidence into cabinet decisions.

‘The lesson,’ says Rosebella Apollo, a programme officer in research and policy at PASGR, ‘is that evidence changes policy when it’s co-created, politically legible, and timed to the window of opportunity.’ Prof. Paul Bukuluki, a social work researcher and lecturer at Makerere University, warns that evidence without fiscal backing is ‘like planting seeds on a rock.’

Mondo Kyateka, the Assistant Commissioner for Youth and Children’s Affairs at the Labour and Gender Ministry, cautions that if fertility and youth joblessness aren’t addressed urgently, ‘the system breaks down.’ Both argue that the real test is not producing research but wiring it into budgets, protections, and working programs that blunt demographic pressure. That shows the problem is structural and the solution could be systemic.

Skills that work

Uganda’s education system has long churned out certificates without the skills employers need. The result has been many graduates armed with diplomas but no work-readiness. Government data estimates that youth aged 18-30 account for between 64 and 70 percent of the unemployed.

The government is now trying to fix the mismatch. It is rolling out competency-based technical and vocational education (TVET), introducing micro-credentials, recognizing prior learning (critical for refugees without papers), and making workplace placements mandatory to bridge classrooms with industry. Employers echo that view.

‘Youth need action, preparedness, resilience,’ says Evelyn Kisakye of the Federation of Uganda Employers, which is running a Work Readiness program with Enabel to channel graduates into agriculture, tourism, and the green economy. ‘Opportunities exist, but they reward those who show up ready.’

If Uganda succeeds in aligning skills, demand, and social protection, it won’t just create jobs-it could reshape the global migration story. If it fails, Europe’s border walls may prove too thin to hold back the tide.

Makerere University’s School of Law lecturer, Mr Robert Kirunda, has been appointed a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), becoming only the second Ugandan to serve on the prestigious international body.

The appointment was confirmed in a statement released by the Law School on Thursday.

“Congratulations to Mr Robert Kirunda, Lecturer @MakerereLaw, he was appointed a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). He is the second Ugandan to receive this appointment,” the statement reads. The PCA, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, was established in 1899 to facilitate arbitration and other forms of dispute resolution between states.

Over the years, it has developed into a modern, multi-faceted institution addressing disputes involving states, state entities, intergovernmental organisations, and private parties.

Mr Kirunda, who teaches at Makerere Law School and also practices as an advocate, will contribute to the court’s mandate, which includes handling disputes related to territorial and maritime boundaries, sovereignty, human rights, foreign investment, and international trade.

Uganda’s representation at the PCA is seen as significant in strengthening the country’s profile in international law and arbitration.

Makerere University School of Law emphasised that Kirunda’s appointment was a reflection of his expertise and contribution to legal scholarship.

“This appointment highlights the growing impact of Ugandan legal professionals on the global stage,” the School noted.

His appointment comes at a time when international arbitration continues to play a critical role in resolving complex disputes between nations and global entities.

The PCA currently has 122 contracting parties, including Uganda, and operates as one of the world’s oldest institutions for the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

The government has issued a stern ultimatum to striking teachers, giving them seven days to return to class or risk dismissal for abandoning duty.

The teachers, mainly from secondary schools, laid down their tools on September 15, 2025, demanding salary enhancements and fulfillment of past government pledges.

Speaking to the media in Kampala on Thursday, Ministry for Public Service Muruli Mukasa said the ongoing industrial action was unlawful and is in breach of existing labor laws.

“Their strike has disrupted learning in several parts of the country, with pupils and students left unattended barely a month into the third term,” he said.

Mukasa added that government would consider teachers who fail to report back to school within the stipulated period to have voluntarily resigned.

“You are hereby enjoined to call off the industrial action, and for your members especially those who are participating to resume duty immediately and not beyond one week, or else you will be regarded as having abandoned duty and resigned accordingly,” he said.

Minister Mukasa revealed that government has demonstrated commitment to improving the welfare of teachers and other public servants through a phased salary enhancement plan.

“A total of Shs 2.5 trillion has been committed to salary enhancement since the 2018/2019 financial year,” he said.

He added that the government has already drawn up an enhancement plan for the 2026/2027 financial year, which includes a pledge to raise the salaries of humanities teachers by 25 percent of the approved targets.

“These proposals have been submitted to the Ministry of Finance for consideration in the forthcoming budget,” he said.

Minister Mukasa urged that the teachers’ strike does not meet the legal requirements for industrial action.

“No certificate of dispute was issued by the Public Service Negotiating and Consultative Council before the strike commenced, making it unlawful,” he said.

The General Secretary of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU), Filbert Baguma, responded to the warning, saying that government knows where the teachers are and therefore there is no reason for intimidation and threats.

“What we need are the answers and not the threats and intimidation; the industrial action continues,” he said.

As the ultimatum clock ticks, anxiety remains high among teachers who have not resumed their duties since the term started. The standoff between the government and teachers continues, with no immediate resolution in sight.

Walking through Republic Street, Naboa Road, Pallisa Road, or Kumi Road in Mbale City, you don’t see the signs of a growing city.

Instead, you see old, cracked buildings with peeling paint and collapsing verandas, once proud commercial spaces now left to rot. Many of these buildings are nearly 100 years old and have been neglected for decades. Some are stuck in complicated ownership battles, with no one taking responsibility to fix or develop them.

Back in 1972, when President Idi Amin forced Asians to leave Uganda, their shops, homes, and plots, including many in Mbale, were handed over to Ugandans through a government body called the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board. But 50 years later, confusion caused by that same board, along with the Uganda Land Commission, has left many of these properties in a legal mess. Some plots have been given to several people at once, leading to constant court cases.

Mr Yasin Kawanguzi, a lawyer and former city leader, said, ‘We see ramshackle buildings in the middle of town because ownership is unclear.

No one invests in property they are battling for in court,’ he said. One example is a building on plots 33 and 35 on Pallisa Road. It was torn down in May 2024 for being unsafe, even though a family claiming ownership protested the demolition.

Over a year later, the prime plot still sits empty at the city entrance.

This problem is not limited to one street. Almost every major road in the city centre, Naboa Road, Bishop Wasike Road, Republic Street, Kumi Road, and Pallisa Road, has buildings stuck in ownership disputes.

Locals call them ‘ghost buildings’, run-down, neglected, and stuck in legal battles. City leaders blame the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board and the Uganda Land Commission for giving out ownership documents to multiple people for the same buildings.

Mr Namugali, a city leader, said, ‘These properties were never properly returned to the city. Some buildings have five or more people claiming ownership, each with a letter from a different government office.’ Because of this, investors are staying away, and the city looks abandoned in some places.

Another example is Plot 29 on Republic Street, where a long-standing dispute continues. The family of the late Zubair Magomu said they bought the property in 1972 and later formalised ownership. But someone else claiming to represent the original Indian owners later showed up with papers and evicted the Magomu family.

Community leader Robert Mudebo said this is a national issue, but worse in Mbale.

He added: ‘One building can be claimed by 10 different people. Who will spend money renovating a property they could lose tomorrow?’ he added. Residents believe the only way Mbale can grow into a modern city is if the government sets clear rules to settle these ownership issues.

Mr Abdulsalam Namonye, who has led the North Road Cell since 1986, said: ‘All over town, buildings are falling apart because of court cases.

The custodian board should fix these disputes instead of letting middlemen profit.’ He also said his building on Plot 8, Kumi-North Road, was taken from him unfairly in 2005.

A past land investigation by the Bamugemereire Land Inquiry exposed how some people used fake claims to grab hundreds of these properties. Mr Joseph Kibande, a senior official from the Ministry of Lands, said the mess is not the ministry’s fault.

‘The custodian board is responsible for these properties. We only help those who have been cleared by the board,’ he said. Attempts to get a comment from the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board were unsuccessful by the press.

The Departed Asians Property Custodian Board, created by a 1973 law, was meant to manage the properties left behind after Asians were expelled. But decades later, the same board is now being blamed for the confusion that has left Mbale’s City centre crumbling.

Background

Mbale was officially declared a city on July 1, 2020. It was one of the first towns to be granted city status in Uganda, with Jinja, Mbarara, Gulu, and others also elevated at the same time. Mbale was previously an urban municipality. The elevation was part of a broader initiative by the government to create new cities.

After weeks of drama, threats, and near-boycotts, Nec finally bow to the inevitable-kicking off their StarTimes Uganda Premier League campaign on Thursday at Nakivubo Stadium against URA.

But it is a start with double hearts, one half unwilling, the other resigned to fate.

Alongside giants SC Villa and Vipers, Nec had vehemently opposed the controversial new league format, vowing not to step on the turf until Fufa revisited its stance.

Yet on the eve of their mandatory fixture, the club’s official communication on X betrayed a sense of coercion:

‘The focus shifts to the mandatory fixture, which we must play despite our disagreement with the new league format, as other engagements continue.’

It read more like a surrender note than a rallying cry.

Tough times

And if that wasn’t enough, Nec’s preparation is already crippled by misfortune.

Coach Hussein Mbalangu – normally the embodiment of confidence and bravado – sounded uncharacteristically subdued.

Still smarting from their Caf Confederation Cup elimination at the hands of Nairobi United, the gaffer admitted his team were bruised, battered, and mentally drained.

‘We didn’t achieve our target in Nairobi, we didn’t have luck by our side but the boys gave it their whole,’ he lamented.

‘We had asked Fufa to postpone the game because we have many injured players – Allan Mugalu, James Jarieko, Cromwell Rwothomio, Titus Ssematimba, Siraje Ssentamu – we have about eight injured players, but we shall try to fight for maximum points.’

His words betrayed both a wounded pride and a pragmatic realism.

The Caf exit robbed his side of momentum and the injury list reads like a horror script. Still, Mbalangu insists that familiarity with URA’s patterns could offer Nec a lifeline.

Same old URA

The irony, however, is that their opponents are equally unpredictable.

Alex Isabirye’s URA, despite undergoing a facelift in the transfer window, showed the same old bluntness in their goalless opening draw against Bul at Njeru.

The Tax Collectors remain a puzzle – capable of brilliance one week, and mediocrity the next. That volatility makes tonight’s clash at Nakivubo one of the most unpredictable ties on the early fixture list.

Elsewhere, at the Police Arena in Kamwokya, Matia Lule’s Police continue their reintegration into the top flight against Express.

Police showed defensive discipline in a goalless draw with Mbarara City, but must now contend with a Red Eagles side buoyed by a narrow 1-0 win over UPDF.

Badru Kaddu’s men looked sharp in that opener and will fancy adding Police to their early-season victims.

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Thursday

Police vs. Express, 4pm

URA vs. Nec, 8pm

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has postponed this year’s Kampala City Festival from October 5 to October 12, 2025, following consultations with key stakeholders, including security agencies.

The festival, initially scheduled as a pre-Independence Day celebration, will now take place days later, allowing the city to host the official national Independence Day events.

KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki confirmed the adjustment, saying, “The festival will now take place on October 12 after the official Independence Day celebrations. We shall kick off with a grand procession starting from Buganda Road through Kyagwe up to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.”

Buzeki added that beyond entertainment, the festival would highlight the Authority’s beautification initiatives, including tree planting along Nile Avenue and other city greening programs.

“The Kampala City Festival is one of the most popular annual social events, attracting thousands of city dwellers and visitors,” she said. “KCCA expects this year’s edition to draw even larger numbers, given the festival’s return after disruptions caused by COVID-19 and other logistical constraints.”

As crowds prepare for the festivities, police have unveiled a detailed plan to maintain order and safeguard the event. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, ACP Rusoke Kituuma outlined guidelines aimed at preventing crime and ensuring smooth access to Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.

“All people entering Kololo will go through access control checks, and any unauthorised objects will be confiscated,” he said.

Kituuma urged revelers to use designated entrances to avoid delays or inconveniences and cautioned parents to closely monitor their children during the celebrations.

“Take care of your children because we do not want to register cases of abandoned minors, which not only cause distress but also inconvenience the deployed security teams,” he stressed.

Traffic management around Kololo will be tightly controlled, with a security checkpoint set up at Hotel Africana and a map displayed to guide motorists.

Motorists will be diverted to Lugogo bypass for access to Kololo, with cut-off points enforced at Upper Elgon Terrace, Katikati traffic lights, and Prince Charles-Obua Road.

VIP parking will be at Kololo grounds through Elgon and Kololo Police Post Gate, but strictly for vehicles with official stickers. Non-VIP parking will be at City High School and Kabojja Junior School. Kituuma stressed that parking on road reserves is prohibited, and abandoned vehicles will be towed at the owner’s cost.

Kituuma reassured the public that all security agencies have been mobilized in a joint operation to safeguard the festival.

“Security is complete under unity and synergy, and we call upon the public to collaborate with us to make sure the festival is safe and enjoyable,” he emphasised.

With the festival now set for October 12, KCCA and police are urging city dwellers to prepare early, follow the guidelines, and embrace the celebration as both a cultural and civic event that unites the world.

President Museveni has urged Ugandans to take charge of their economic destiny by making better use of the Parish Development Model (PDM) to create their own wealth.

PDM is a key plank of President Museveni’s strategy to transform subsistence households into the money economy by promoting economic development in rural parishes and urban wards.

Mr Museveni, while campaigning in Amolatar District yesterday said the programme has the potential to propel millions of Ugandans towards prosperity.

‘So, I am appealing to all Ugandans, chase can (poverty) from your home, and do it by doing something that will bring food on your table but also money in your pocket. And the government has already given you how to start,’ he told a rally at Amolatar Secondary School.

‘This PDM money, Shs100 million per parish. In five years, that is Shs500 million in one parish. And in the third year, the ones who get first, go back to the circle. The money will never come back to the government. It will remain in your parish,’ he said.

About PDM

The PDM is a seven-pillar strategy that focuses on production, processing, and marketing, as well as infrastructure and economic services, financial inclusion, social services, mindset change, and governance.

Mr Museveni emphasised that by tapping into these pillars, Ugandans could unlock their potential and become active participants in the country’s economic growth.

He urged Ugandans to embrace the initiative, saying people can actually take ownership of their economic development and create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

In February 2022, President Museveni launched PDM as a multi-sectoral strategy for transforming subsistence households into the money economy of the country.

Under this ambitious programme, 30 percent of the allocation to every parish or ward is meant for women, 30 percent for the youth, while older persons and PWDs are supposed to fetch at least 10 percent each.

To increase household food security, incomes and quality of life of Ugandans, beneficiaries are supposed to be organised and supported to, among others, identify, prioritise and respond to their own needs.

However, the government’s implementing agency – the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development – previously said that persons with disabilities or PWDs and older persons are not consuming all their allocations.

‘The report that we have in our ministry is indicating that older persons and persons with disability are not consuming all their money. Some of the monies are being returned or are being given to other interest groups and other beneficiaries,’ Ms Betty Amongi, the Gender minister, told this newspaper in Lira City on September 10.

Unfulfilled pledges

President Museveni said he is aware of the promise he made concerning the upgrade of the Namasale -Amolatar-Ochero-Dokolo road to bitumen.

However, he did not commit on when the government would fulfil the promise. On the issue of resolving the ongoing conflict between the fishing community and the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), the head of state said he would first consult leaders in the districts surrounding the water bodies before committing himself.

PDM key areas

Production and marketing: Citizens can engage in agricultural enterprises such as coffee, cotton, and maize production, and benefit from government-supported initiatives like the e-voucher system for farm inputs and the e-extension service.

Financial inclusion: The PDM promotes access to financial services, including savings, credit, and insurance, to help households manage their finances effectively and make informed investment decisions.

Infrastructure development: The government is committed to improving infrastructure, such as roads, markets, and water facilities, to facilitate economic activity and enhance the quality of life.

The implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), the provision of health and education services, and the facilitation of land transactions at city and district levels are among the key services thrown into jeopardy after local government workers commenced a countrywide strike yesterday.

Local government workers, under their umbrella body, the Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU), laid down their tools due to the government’s failure to enhance their salaries.

ULGWU Secretary General Hassan Lwabayi Mudiba told Monitor that instead of fulfilling pledges to increase salaries or engaging the workers in dialogue, the government resorted to threats despite repeated petitions to the Public Service ministry.

‘We gave notice to the government through the head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet on September 18, 2025 of workers’ intention to undertake industrial action commencing on October 1, 2025, pursuant to section 14(a)(b) on serving notices between the government and labour union,’ Mr Mudiba said.

‘Unfortunately, the government has not responded to the notice. Yet, workers resolved to lay down tools as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction with the government’s failure to address salary disparities within the Public Service,’ he added.

Ms Catherine Bitarakwate, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, said her ministry was releasing an official statement regarding the strike, which had not yet been issued by press time.

Mr Ben Kumumanya, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, said engagements with various workers’ heads were ongoing to avert disruptions that could affect service delivery.

‘Apparently, the strike has not affected any service delivery because the local government workers are on their duty stations,’ he said.

‘I have held meetings with different stakeholders, including districts’ service commissions, district education officers, district health officers, among others, and this issue has been extensively discussed because these people’s salaries shall be enhanced in the coming financial year, and they know it,’ he added.

Strikes in context

The ULGWU strike comes as arts teachers under the Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) and lecturers and trainers from 150 government technical institutions under the Uganda Technical and Vocational Trainers’ Union (UTVTU) started a similar industrial action on September 15.

Three years after a similar demonstration in July 2022 over the same issue of salary enhancements, Mr Mudiba said workers have been patient with the government until they were pushed to the edge.

Despite a wage bill increase from Shs7.8 trillion in FY 2024/25 to Shs8.6 trillion in FY 2025/26, local government workers categorised under unconditional grant wages did not benefit from the increment, according to the union.

Mr Mudiba accused the government of creating ‘salary disparities’ through selective increases, polarising the civil service and demoralising employees. He also criticised the opacity of certain salary structures.

‘Like the National Planning Authority (NPA), their salary structures cannot be seen, yet there are no scientists, and I challenge the government to make public their salary structure and that of the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema),’ he said.

ULGWU National Treasurer Miriam Mukani said there was still room for dialogue.

‘If the government comes up and says let us have a dialogue, there is room. But as of now, since there is no response, there is nothing much we can do other than keeping on the strike until the government realises that local government workers also matter,’ she explained.

Mr Usher Wilson Owere, the former chairperson of the National Organisation of Trade Unions (Notu), said the strike by local government workers has a direct trickle-down effect on service delivery to the public because these employees deal with people on the ground.

‘Local government is the real government, and anything there affects the whole country, and that’s why I implore the government to quickly meet with the aggrieved workers’ leaders and solve this issue, as well as streamline industrial relations and ensure that the negotiation machinery put in place works,’ he said.

Except for Kampala Capital City, managed by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), a national government ministry established by the Kampala Capital City Act, 2011, the rest of the 146 districts, 10 cities, and 11 municipalities are governed under the Local Government system.

This means the striking employees provide services to a significant population, mostly in rural areas, which already face multiple challenges. Mr Owere said a meeting between ULGWU leadership, Workers Members of Parliament, and other trade union officials is expected at Parliament to devise ways of ending the strike.

‘We want to help the government move away from this mess once and for all instead of relying on people who are not bringing solutions to the problem,’ he said.

About ULGWU

ULGWU was formed in 2006 by a group of workers to advocate for the rights of local government employees. Mudiba did not specify the exact number of members but said the Union was gazetted twice by the Ministry of Gender and the Public Service Ministry.

The majority of members are administrative staff attached to 75 public hospitals and 398 health centres (III), over 10,000 parish chiefs, district accountants, district education officers, district health officers, human resource managers, among others. Salaries range from Shs187,000 to Shs990,000, depending on rank.

Their demonstration will have far-reaching effects. For example, district councils may halt operations because clerks are union members, revenue collection may stop since parish chiefs are off duty, probation cases will not be attended, and implementation of the PDM project will be delayed.

City and district land boards will not provide services, schools will go uninspected due to absent DEOs, and hospital support staff, including administrators, accountants, and mortuary attendants, will also stay home.

Situation on the ground

Mr Andrew Moses Awany, the president of the Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA), said the majority of local government workers remained at their stations and distanced ULGA from the strike.

‘We negotiated with the government about the salary enhancements of both political leaders and technical workers in local government, which they accepted and even committed in writing, and now we are just waiting for the actualisation in the next financial year, so those ULGWU announced their strike without consulting us,’ he said.

The majority of workers in different local governments contacted by this newspaper had turned up for duty yesterday.

In Kabale, the district communications officer, Mr Alex Byakatonda, said 99 percent of headquarters staff reported for duty. ‘150 out of 160 district headquarters staff reported for duty and business is normal in all the district departments,’ he said.

In Kisoro District, communications officer Imeldah Mukeshimana said most local government workers reported for duty as they were not ULGWU members.

‘The situation is not normal and business unusual because members of the ULGWU in Kisoro District did not turn up for duty as they joined their colleagues in the sit-down strike that started on Wednesday,’ she said.

Principal Administrative Secretary for Rukiga District Gideon Tumwesigire said it was business as usual since very few local government workers in his district are ULGWU members.

Local perspectives

The industrial action in Greater Masaka mainly involves lower-level civil servants, while scientists and other heads of departments at the district level recently received pay increases.

Mr Alfred Makumbi, parish chief of Mitondo Parish in Kyotera District, said poor working conditions prompted the strike. ‘We are pivotal to the efficiency of all government programmes; we need improved working conditions,’ he said.

At Kyotera District headquarters, staff attendance was 40 percent despite a letter from the chief administrative officer urging workers to report for duty.

Mr Gordon Mayanja, the chairperson of Kyesiiga Sub-county in Masaka District, said the strike could affect PDM implementation since parish chiefs, who are central to registering and monitoring beneficiaries, were absent.

‘The ongoing strike may make us miss out on PDM as chiefs won’t be able to register and monitor the beneficiaries,’ he said.

Key services affected

* Parish Development Model (PDM) implementation.

* Health services at public hospitals and Health Centre (III) facilities.

* Education services and school inspections.

* Revenue collection at parish and district level.

* Land board services at city and district level

The Parish Development Model (PDM) has the potential to transform Uganda into a cash-based economy if managed properly, surpassing its current state, experts and political actors revealed.

This comes barely a month after President Museveni completed his countrywide tour, during which he called the programme a complete success.

With Uganda having 70 percent of its population engaged in agriculture, which contributes 24.7 percent to the country’s GDP, experts believe that PDM, the government’s latest poverty alleviation programme aimed at uplifting the 39 percent population from a subsistence to a money economy, could be a game-changer if key reforms are made before it naturally dies like its predecessor programmes.

Former Finance minister Prof Ezra Suruma, who first mooted the PDM idea about 20 years ago, as highlighted in his 2014 book Project MUSE: Advancing the Ugandan Economy, notes that the government rushed the PDM implementation, thereby making it lose its intended focus.

Aim

Launched on February 27, 2022, by President Museveni in Bukedi Sub-region, PDM is the latest government poverty alleviation programme that seeks to transform 39 percent of Ugandan subsistence households into a money economy, enhance their overall quality of life, alleviate poverty, and reduce vulnerability across the country.

The programme has seven pillars: production, storage, processing, and marketing; infrastructure and economic services; financial inclusion; social services; mindset change; parish-based management information system; and governance and administration.

The government injects Shs100 million annually into each parish-based Sacco, where the money is lent to beneficiaries at a one percent interest rate.

A flat amount of Shs1 million is lent to each beneficiary, who starts repayment after three years, turning it into a revolving fund. Between FY2021/22 and FY2024/2025, the government committed Shs3.6 trillion to the programme. In FY2023/24, the vote fell to Shs1.09 trillion, further reduced to Shs1.059 trillion in FY2024/25, before rising again to Shs1.59 trillion in the current financial year.

Poverty vs PDM

By the time of PDM’s launch, an estimated 42 percent of Ugandans were experiencing multidimensional poverty, according to the 2022 Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Three financial years after rollout, PDM had reached 832,746 households, according to the 2024 National Population and Housing Census (NPHC).

Still, 3.5 million households-about 33.1 percent of the population-remained in subsistence. This is the same cohort PDM targeted at launch in 2022, raising questions about whether the programme is moving at the necessary pace. Shadow Finance Minister and Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda argues that the modest budget undermines the project.

‘You cannot give Shs12 trillion to 400,000 government employees in terms of salaries and other things such as cars, and give Shs1 trillion to 14 million poor Ugandans and expect the latter to liberate themselves from poverty,’ he said. Other experts echo concerns that planning gaps have diluted effectiveness.

Mr Aloysious Kittengo, the programme coordinator, financing for development at SEATINI Uganda, observes that anchoring the programme to agro-industrialisation is critical.

‘If farmers are producing where industries guarantee ready markets, the initiative creates value. Otherwise, production without market access leaves beneficiaries stranded,’ he said. Mr Richard Ssempala, an economist and lecturer at Makerere University, stressed the importance of a whole-society approach.

‘PDM cannot be standalone. Commercialisation gains may be offset by structural bottlenecks such as poor roads, limited electricity, or high medical costs. These reduce household resilience even when farmers succeed at production,’ he said.

Structural concerns

A new study by the Economic Policy Research Centre of Makerere University (EPRC) urged the government to improve fund disbursement timeliness, enhance market access, and strengthen women’s participation. Recommendations include: financial literacy training, faster fund releases, cooperative strengthening, storage expansion, and gender-sensitive enterprise selection.

The EPRC proposals mirror what Prof Suruma had recommended in his book, years before PDM’s implementation. He had suggested training parish leaders through the National Advanced Leadership Institute at Kyankwanzi, preparing them in record-keeping, cooperative management, microfinance, irrigation, and savings discipline. He also recommended manuals for rural cooperative management, produced by the Uganda Cooperative Alliance.

In his later speech at a SEATINI Uganda event in September 2024, Prof Suruma criticised the government for rushing implementation and sidelining these preparatory steps. He argued that the Shs100 million allocations should have been channelled through financial institutions with grassroots infrastructure, not directly through unprepared parish structures.

Political reactions

Nakaseke South legislator Paulson Luttamaguzi Semakula, questioned the logic of disbursing money before putting strong systems in place. ‘If you look at the PDM where he is inspecting empty kraals, it is not helping because how can you start giving people money to liberate them from poverty instead of putting in place systems that work.and even the one million is not given to intended beneficiaries,’ he said.

In response, ICT Minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, defended the government.

‘When the President promised that he would start PDM, the question should be did the PDM start-yes it is there. If people are stealing money on the ground, you cannot blame it on the President. He has even directed security to arrest those mishandling it,’ he said. State Minister for Finance (General Duties) Henry Musasizi maintained that the programme is steadily improving rural livelihoods.

President Museveni himself toured all 18 sub-regions between November 2024 and July this year, assessing progress. At each stop, he declared the PDM a success with only minimal challenges, such as theft by parish chiefs.

Beneficiaries speak out

On the ground, beneficiaries report mixed experiences. Peter Mukose, a boda boda rider and tomato farmer from Kaliro District, said: ‘The PDM money helped me in getting extra land for my tomatoes, secured pesticides, and paid labour. Since then, my business has expanded.’ Ms Florence Amoro of Moroto District also invested wisely.

‘I put part of it into business and also bought a cow at Shs500,000, which I later sold profitably. The PDM has improved my family’s livelihood because we are no longer living on empty stomachs. My children are in school, I can dress them, and I can buy medicine when needed,’ she said. But others remain excluded.

Mr Joseph Opio Lometo, the speaker of South Division in Lwechede Village, said his group of 15 people never received funds.

‘They told us we shall receive the money after the election, so we are waiting. Some people benefited but misused it. Some used it for rent or debts,’ he said.

In Bukedi, Busoga, Lango, and Karamoja, field visits revealed reluctance among many recipients to repay, treating the money as a government gift rather than a revolving loan.

Ms Margaret Mudong, the Nakadel Parish Chief, acknowledged the problem.

‘Some are progressing, and some are not. We are telling those who first received the money to plan to return it because their time is done,’ she said.

The PDM remains a contested programme. On one hand, it has enabled households such as Mukose’s and Amoro’s to shift from subsistence to modest commercialisation.

On the other, slow fund release, poor planning, structural bottlenecks, and misuse raise doubts about sustainability.

Experts stress that Uganda’s transition from subsistence to cash-based economy requires more than cash injections. It requires coherent policy alignment with agro-industrialisation, infrastructure improvement, literacy campaigns, and stronger institutions.

About programme

The Parish Development Model (PDM) was launched on February 27, 2022, in the Bukedi Sub-region with the goal of moving 39 percent of Ugandans from subsistence farming into the money economy. The programme targets 3.5 million households and allocates Shs100 million annually to each parish, managed through Savings and Credit Cooperatives (Saccos).

Each beneficiary is entitled to a flat loan of Shs1 million at an interest rate of one percent, with repayment beginning after three years to create a revolving fund.