MBALE – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has demanded that any individuals who received irregular benefits from the Parish Development Model (PDM) program repay the monies immediately.

“During my visit, I realized that there are people who are not eligible for the PDM, known as “bagagga” civil servants. They received it despite the fact that they were not allowed to. They should repay it quickly. “They made a mistake by taking what was not theirs,” he instructed.

The President made the statements today while speaking to a crowd at the Maluku Sports Grounds in Mbale City.

The rally was part of the President’s regional performance assessment tour for the Parish Development Model and wealth creation in the Bugisu subregion.

President Museveni further revealed that he has already directed banks to stop deducting charges from the shs1 million received by PDM beneficiaries, stating that the government should pay all of those charges.

“We have now implemented PDM in every parish. The annual budget for each parish is Shs100 million. That implies it should assist 100 houses each year. I have prevented the banks from stealing money, and the government will pay the bank costs, so they will not touch your Shs1 million,” he assured.

The President further stated that all officials who have stolen PDM funding will reimburse the money while being arrested.

“Now there are individuals that deducted some money and instead of paying the beneficiaries Sha980,000 after bank charges, they gave them Sha200,000, Shs500,000. There are two categories: first, there are individuals who commanded themselves to pay tiny sums of money to various persons without regard for what the authorities said. When we found out we had halted it, we estimated it was worth Shs1 million. If somebody took money after that, you will repay it, but we will also arrest him since he is a thief,” he stated.

President Museveni also guaranteed Ugandans of PDM continuity, urging them to preserve the project zealously because it is intended to assist them combat poverty and improve their livelihoods.

“Let us move without halting; each year, we will send Shs100 million. That means that the Parish will receive Shs500 million in 5 years, but in the third year, the borrower who received the money first will repay it, and the money will be returned to the Parish’s fund, and the Parish bank will have received an additional Shs 300 million from the initial borrowers. It will no longer be Shs 500 million, but Shs 800 million. This money will not be returned to the government; it will remain in your parish bank. This is your money, make sure you guard it properly. You don’t have to borrow from the money lenders or even the commercial banks, this is your money, so please don’t miss this chance.”

On the issue of landslides in some parts of the Bugisu subregion, President Museveni advised locals to stop staying in steep areas, explaining that God did not intend for people to live there, but rather for other purposes such as water, forests, and so on.

“We warned you long ago that this was extremely dangerous, but certain politicians were toying around with it. You have seen how many people we have lost. This mountain is a goldmine; it collects water for us. It is God’s project, but those of us who live nearby can make good use of it. We can have hotels for tourists in the lowlands where people can live or in the footsteps of the mountains rather than on the cliffs, where visitors can come and stay before ascending. And we can perform projects like beekeeping in the forests, but not stay there.”

He also assured citizens in disaster-prone areas that the government is ready to provide all the necessary assistance to resettle them in safer areas.

“I’m glad that after seeing what happened, people are now willing to move away, and we are going to provide all the money to help you get away.”

He also informed them that he will contact the Ministry of Housing to see how they can assist the people of Bugisu in beginning to build proper dwellings, having noticed that some of them continue to build using reeds and muds.

“I’m going to work with the Ministry of Housing to see how we can create cement blocks for you in the near future so that you may start using them. “These are easier to use.”

President Museveni, on the other hand, chastised those who are working around the clock to sabotage the implementation of Universal Primary Education (UPE), calling it a huge error since such people are undermining the government’s efforts to educate Ugandan children for free.

“It is a serious mistake to fail to apply UPE. All of the students you see there, whom I am picking up from skilling centers, have dropped out of school due to tuition. “Now you see what they’re doing; they’re making shoes, chairs, and metal works after six months,” he remarked.

President Museveni emphasized that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has been a mass line party since its founding, with the goal of “leaving no Ugandan behind,” resulting in a variety of initiatives such as mass immunization, security for all, wealth for all, and universal education.

“We also introduced bonna basoome, or education for all. It was not adequately implemented; we placed money there, yet others continue to charge money from learners. And this is why so many students drop out of school.

President Museveni has therefore requested Ugandans to back his agenda of education for all by prohibiting Head Teachers and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) from collecting school fees from students.

“As you know I’m a resistance fighter, when you people, the parents Association and the headteachers refused to remove school charges, I continued educating children free in Kisozi in some schools which are directly under me,” according to him.

“I recently opened skilling institutes where youngsters can study for free. Those children are studying for those skills for free, yet what I’m doing there costs more than what you should be doing with UPE and USE. This is due to the children’s long distance travel; I need to accommodate and feed them, among other things.”

President Museveni also advised the Bugisu people to listen to the NRM’s message of wealth development if they wish to succeed.

“Then we added bonna bagagawale—prosperity for everybody. Some folks did not grasp this. We stated in the 1996 Manifesto that people with tiny plots of land should engage in intensive agriculture, which uses a limited amount of land but yields substantial returns. That implies you choose your businesses carefully. There are certain businesses that earn money on a large scale, while others make money on a small scale,” he remarked.

“You’ve noticed that those who listen move. I have several stories of people who have listened and are now doing well.”

He went on to say that the government would develop a particular solution for the region’s mountain marrum roads.

President Museveni also promised that the government will locate the bodies of some of the bush war freedom warriors in Mbale who died during the conflict and give them a proper burial, as well as assist the victims’ relatives.

At the same event, President Museveni launched the Ghetto Structure SACCOs in Mbale, and NRM supporters known as “Yellow Girls” backed him as the party’s sole candidate for the 2026 presidential election.

The Vice President, H.E Jessica Alupo, urged the people of Bugisu to continue supporting the NRM and President Museveni for national development.

The Minister of State for Investment and Privatization, Hon. Evelyn Anite, praised President Museveni for being a visionary leader who has transformed Uganda.

Ministers, Members of Parliament, cultural and religious leaders, and other dignitaries attended the ceremony as well.