President Museveni yesterday issued a stern warning to individuals extorting money from beneficiaries of government anti-poverty programmes as he campaigned in Kiryandongo District. He emphasised that the NRM government has made significant efforts to support wealth creation among Ugandans, including extending funds through initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), the National Agricultural Advisory Service (Naads), Entandikwa, and others.
The President said he had received reports of extortion, particularly under PDM, where some intended beneficiaries of the Shs1m receive less than their entitlement.
‘That money is meant to get you out of poverty. I am going to fight anyone who steals it from you,’ he warned.
Wealth creation
Mr Museveni reminded residents that while the government has invested heavily in infrastructure such as roads, this alone does not eradicate poverty at the household level. He urged them to work hard and focus on wealth creation. He said NRM began sensitising Ugandans about wealth creation even before coming to power, and many have since embraced the guidance. Among them is Mr Fred Byamukama, who practices the four-acre model of commercial agriculture and now earns substantial income.
Mr Byamukama said, his four acres accommodate poultry, coffee, piggery, and pineapple enterprises. Inspired by the President’s model, he now keeps 25,000 poultry birds from which he collects about 11,000 eggs daily, roughly 303 trays, earning him a net income of about Shs55m per month. He also earns from dairy farming, producing 120 litres of milk per day, amounting to about Shs7.6m monthly.
Mr Museveni said Mr Byamukama’s success proves that even small pieces of land can generate wealth, saying the four-acre model was first included in the 1996 NRM manifesto.