President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model (PDM), Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, to investigate alleged irregularities in the disbursement of PDM funds in Mukono District, following complaints from residents that money meant for household income generation is being diverted.
The directive came after murmurs erupted from the crowd when the President stated that government had already released PDM funds to parishes to support homestead development. Sensing discontent, Museveni invited anyone with evidence of mismanagement to speak out.
Fred Mulika, a resident of Nakifuma, told the President that some local PDM leaders demand bribes from residents before including them on beneficiary lists, an act he said has discouraged many from embracing the programme.
In response, Museveni acknowledged that while PDM funds are reaching villages, they are being intercepted by individuals entrusted with managing them. He partly blamed residents for electing leaders who fail to properly monitor government programmes.
“You are the ones who elect your local leaders. Take more interest in the people you choose,” Museveni said while addressing a rally at Naggalama in Mukono, adding that his government would establish whether parish SACCO committees were legitimately elected. “It is possible meetings were called but people did not attend. We are going to verify all this.”
He tasked Galabuzi to establish whether the committees handling PDM funds were duly constituted and accountable to the communities they serve.
Beyond governance concerns, Museveni emphasized what he described as significant government investments in Mukono across key sectors. In education, he noted that the district has 220 government-aided primary schools alongside 962 private ones, as well as 25 public secondary schools compared to 270 private secondary institutions.
In health, Mukono hosts a general hospital and 17 Health Centre IIIs, with plans underway to upgrade Kigogola and Kimenyedde Health Centre IIs to Health Centre IIIs and to improve infrastructure at Katosi and Namataba Health Centre IIIs.
On road infrastructure, the President said several roads are being improved under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area–Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), including maintenance works along the Kampala–Jinja Highway and Katosi Road. He acknowledged the need for more diversion routes to ease traffic congestion in Mukono and Kampala.
Museveni also outlined progress in electricity and water expansion, citing the establishment of the Katosi Water Treatment Plant and mini solar-powered water projects in Kabembe, Kalagi, Nagojje, Banda, Mayangayanga, Misenyi, and Ntunda–Kyabazaala, with further expansion planned.
Mukono NRM Chairperson Hajji Haruna Ssemakula praised the President for upgrading Mukono General Hospital but appealed for further infrastructure improvements to enhance service delivery.
Ssemakula further requested the establishment of a skilling hub in Mukono, noting that the Buganda Skilling Hub in Kayunga admits limited numbers, and asked the President to revive the stalled Akon City project in the district.
Mukono North MP candidate Ronald Kibuule urged government to diversify transport infrastructure by revitalizing railway and water transport to reduce pressure from heavy commercial trucks on the Kampala–Jinja Highway. He said Lake Victoria offers an untapped opportunity to connect districts through water transport if more vessels are acquired.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among praised Museveni for promoting industrialization, saying it has created jobs for young people. She also remarked that Mukono had suffered from weak government representation after NRM lost parliamentary seats to the opposition in previous elections.
Among hailed the President for authorizing over Shs1 billion in medical treatment support for Betty Nambooze, despite what she described as persistent political attacks against him in the media.
NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja told residents that it would be difficult for the National Unity Platform (NUP) to win the presidency, arguing that success becomes harder when a party fails to field candidates across all parliamentary positions.
She noted that several opposition aspirants had withdrawn their candidatures in favor of NRM candidates, citing the ruling party’s numerical strength in Parliament and Cabinet as key to influencing development decisions.
As the political tone intensified, State Minister Haruna Kasolo introduced NRM flag bearers in Mukono, after which the President performed a symbolic duty of handing over party flags, urging voters to support candidates he said would better represent government interests at all levels, from Parliament to local government, particularly in monitoring public funds.
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