President Museveni is today in Kibuku District to launch the much-publicized Parish Development Model (PDM), a programme government is banking on to lift 17.5 million Ugandans in 3.5 million households out of poverty.
The launch took place in the eastern Kibuku District and is coming eight months after the government started sensitising the population and recruiting parish chiefs for efficient implementation of the PDM.
News of the programme launch, which kickstarts nationwide implementation, has been received differently.
Experts fear possible abuse of the scheme unless first piloted to learn lessons, elected local government officials, except Local Council II officials, are jittery about being excluded from implementation, would-be beneficiaries expect to receive cash yet the programme offers in-kind support while questions linger over capacity of implementers.
And the less-than-satisfactory performance of previous poverty eradication schemes, some of which government auditors found was mismanaged, add to the feeling of unease about the future of the annual Shs100m-per-parish programme.
Nonetheless, in Kibuku, it will be a celebration, with many in attendance expected to don yellow attire – the official colour of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party chaired by Mr Museveni.
