WILL THE PARISH DEVELOPMENT MODEL YIELD EXPECTED RESULTS IN UGANDA?

 PRESIDENT MUSEVENI IS TO LAUNCH THE PARISH DEVELOPMENT MODEL (PDM) ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26.

President Museveni will launch the Parish Development Model in Bukedi District, Kibuku on Saturday, February 26. This model aims at creating socio-economic transformation of the country's economy.

It is hoped that financial inclusion is a crucial focus in the Parish Development Model (PDM). That the pillar emphasises the need to empower subsistence households into a money economy.

What is anticipated?

There is a lot of talk about the Parish Development Model (PDM) as a vehicle that will empower subsistence households into a money economy. Unfortunately, this is theoretical.

I have met enthusiastic youth who ask me to write proposals for them to get funds which Government advertises. Many of these guys are just frustrated. They do the paper work and meet Government officials who endorse their applications after paying something to them, and at times those officers request for a percentage of the money disbursed. This is where any of the would be Government programs start failing.

We have been told that for the remaining part of the current financial year 2021/2022, shs 17m is what is expected to be disbursed to each parish. Surely, only if such money is to help in training the local people, there is no impact it can make anywhere.

The Government of Uganda has not learnt anything from past failures. It is not possible to achieve success for such a new program when implemented countrywide. Such programs start with Pilot Projects. The pilots help to identify many issues which include strength and weakness among others and mistakes that can be avoided when the program gets national in nature. Because the implementation of the PDM is not backed by pilots, the chances of failure are sure.

I wish to inform President Museveni that at the time he launches the PDM, I had wanted to launch a PDM for Namutamba Parish twelve years ago. Instead the money I raised for the purpose was stolen in 2010. Why do I say stolen? If a person raises money and those in authority in the banking sector can have the courage to tell him how he did not get any money, then the party involved in such are thieves. There is no reason why we are finding the banking sector untrustworthy under President Museveni. Under normal circumstances, a banker should be a noble person. It is not what we are seeing under President Museveni’s tenure in State House in Uganda.

Looks like during President Museveni’s time, foreign investors he keeps inviting to the country are more nationalist than we the Ugandans.

I see the Right Hon. Prime Minister dishing out money left and right when she is out of her office for various missions. It is absurd that I have presented my case where I have fundraised since 2010, but have not accessed a coin of the funds I raised. Whoever thinks that they will develop Uganda by stealing funds for those of us who are committed to Uganda’s development is simply supplying air.

Why can’t the NRM Government ensure that the people capable of laying the Golden egg for the country get justice? We raise money and those who are connected, the untouchable instead take it. God can never endorse that, and it is one reason why Government will continue putting money in these programs and No tangible results will be seen.

In 2022, Namutamba Parish would be a model for other parishes in Uganda. I have the plan to see the parish a model in virtually all areas, but the money I have raised for 12 years to-date is simply shared by a few people.

As the President gets to launch the parish model I pray that the plight of those who fundraise and some people just share what we raise are dealt with so that we get to develop Uganda.

Let us stop the assumptions where some people take us more so myself as an enemy of NRM Government. In fact those who steal the money some of us raise are the enemies of Uganda. If I had accessed the funds I have raised since 2010, I believe many of the youth now going to the Arab world would be employed in Uganda.

I repeat, many Government programs will keep failing because those implementing them are practicing what is un Godly yet they claim to be Religious.