President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has announced plans to engage journalists as watchdogs in monitoring the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), positioning them as key allies in fighting corruption and promoting transparency.
Speaking during a meeting with journalists from Wakiso District at State Lodge, Nakasero, President Museveni said the government would assign journalists to specific zones to help detect and report misuse of PDM funds.
“To have some journalists act as spies for the PDM fund, help us get the news about the PDM. Help us get information and attach journalists per zone like Wakiso. I will make a directive,” Museveni said.
He emphasized that media participation is critical to investigating theft, informing the public, and ensuring effective delivery of the government’s poverty alleviation efforts.
“We must defeat corruption. There must be investigations to confirm theft. Journalists should help us with all the information that we need. It must be confirmed, and we are going to put in energy,” he added.
The President described the PDM as a promising initiative that builds on earlier programs like Entandikwa, NAADS, and Operation Wealth Creation. While acknowledging past setbacks caused by mismanagement, he noted that PDM has shown real potential to transform rural livelihoods.
“PDM has just been tested. It’s been an experiment, and it seems it’s working. So, these few that have worked we are going to put in more effort,” Museveni said.
To strengthen the program’s impact, Museveni pledged additional investments in infrastructure such as boreholes and animal feeds to support beneficiaries in villages.
He warned that individuals who embezzle PDM funds would face prosecution and asset seizure.
“Those that stole PDM funds, we are going to sell their property, they will return our money, and they will be jailed,” he declared.
The President also acknowledged the often-overlooked contributions of unpaid local leaders overseeing PDM activities and hinted at increased support for them.
He urged citizens to understand the difference between collective public development and personal household wealth, stressing the importance of individual responsibility in building economic resilience.
“Development is for all of us. Wealth is for an individual. Each home must work for wealth,” he said.
Drawing from his Banyankole heritage, Museveni explained the traditional concept of okwombeka, which emphasizes building a life—not just a house—through hard work, family, and wealth creation.
He also called for stronger collaboration between the public and police, especially in reporting crimes such as cattle rustling and theft. He cited a recent murder case in Entebbe to stress the need for timely alerts and effective sub-county-based policing.
“Even if the criminal has left, the sniffer dogs are there, there are also CCTVs,” Museveni said.
In support of journalists’ welfare, the President pledged Shs100 million to the Wakiso Journalists SACCO and a minibus to help with transport during fieldwork.
Chairperson of Wakiso Journalists SACCO, Tony Ngabo, thanked the President for recognizing journalists as key partners in national development.
“For a long time, journalists had been like signposts, only pointing people to stories and developments. But today, because of your poverty alleviation programs, we are now part of the money economy,” Ngabo said.
He highlighted success stories from journalist beneficiaries of the Emyooga program, including businesses in retail, livestock farming, and event services that now generate reliable income.
Ngabo revealed that the SACCO recently acquired land in Luweero for a piggery project and appealed for further government support to facilitate transport and expand access to funding for other journalist SACCOs.
“There are SACCOs that haven’t yet benefited. They haven’t received money, and we ask that the government supports them too,” he added.
The partnership between the government and journalists signals a new phase in the PDM’s rollout, with accountability, communication, and community development at its core.
