Merely 44 individuals met the eligibility requirements when the Jinja district’s Parish Development Model (PDM) program was introduced.
Rukia Isanga Nakadama, the third deputy prime minister and minister without a portfolio, presided over the launch of the program in May 2023 at Kagoma Primary School in the Buwenge sub-county.
While Nakadama was concerned about the low number of beneficiaries, there were a few hiccups in the strategy because of an unstable PDM system that kept breaking down, making it impossible to incorporate many of the beneficiaries, according to Dr. Kasadha Waimaga, the district PDM focal person.
He noted that, the majority of the savings and credit co-operative organisations (SACCO) leaders were computer illiterates since some information remained unreported.
On the other hand, the program encountered some opposition from prominent local politicians who, rather than encouraging the community to support it, continued undermining it because they questioned its viability in public settings like funerals.
PDM is a multi-sectoral government policy aimed at eliminating poverty by transferring the 39% of Ugandan households—3.5 million out of 16.1 million—that live in subsistence economies, or hand-to-mouth living, into the money economy.
This approach is derived from the manifesto of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), the NRM’s ideological pillars and basic values (social economic transformation in particular), and the NRM’s plan for enacting this change through the priority sectors of commercial agriculture, Services, ICT and Industrialisation.
The local leaders, however, declined to support it in their villages because they questioned how the government would provide sh1m to such people.
Outgoing Jinja Resident District Commissioner Richard Gulume maintained optimism despite the program’s low enrollment at first since he was instrumental in popularizing it on radio and in local communities, eventually changing people’s perceptions of it.
A year and a half later, there were 7,000 beneficiaries, with Kakira town council bragging of having the highest number—1,600—among the eight parishes.
In the meantime, among other regions, the five parishes that make up Buwenge and Busede sub-counties each have 1,000 beneficiaries.
Given this historical context, Jinja district technocrats felt it was important to recognize Gulume for his outstanding work in advancing the program and fostering a positive working relationship between politicians and civil workers.
A certificate of gratitude was given to Gulume, who was sent to Jinja City, in appreciation of what they called “his wonderful presidential services” as the RDC of the Jinja District Local Government since he was posted there 20 months ago.
Lillian Nakamatte, the chief administrative officer, stated during a ceremony held on Friday at the district committee hall that Gulume was successful in reaching all 34 parishes and inspiring the community to support PDM and other initiatives.
Peter Ayazika, the town council clerk for Buwenge, represented Nakamatte, who stated the RDC had termed the programme as a mastercard to change people’s living standards.
“We will miss you, PDM, as the community looked up to your office.” Because you are a community member, leader, mobilizer, skilled mediator, and someone for development who altered people’s perceptions of government programs, it was a blessing that we found someone who truly understood us, the woman said.
Kasadha, who is also in charge of the department that oversees production and marketing, stated that Gulume had a significant role in promoting PDM along with other concerns related to production and livelihood by urging people to seize opportunities.
Even though PDM is still one of the largest programs in local governments, Kasadha claimed that because it involves so many parties, it has numerous challenges. However, Gulume has been there for the past few fiscal years and has been instrumental in helping them solve problems related to it.
“The success of this program is mostly down to the way he works,” he said. “There are a lot of PDM-related complaints that have been reported to the office of the RDC. Out of the ten calls he got, nine of them had to do with PDM concerns.