Overview:
President Museveni clarified the Parish Development Model funding rules, stating that youth in households that have not yet benefited from the program should receive priority. The president defended the parish-level structure as the most effective way to eliminate corruption and bureaucracy.
GOMBA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni has called on youth leaders to shift their focus from the public sector to private enterprise, noting that government jobs can no longer sustain the country’s rapidly growing population.
Addressing youth leaders from western Uganda at his Kisozi farm, Museveni emphasized that the public service employs only 480,000 people. He urged young people to prioritize wealth creation within four key economic sectors: commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services, and information and communication technology.
The future of Uganda lies in young people embracing income-generating activities, Museveni said. He noted that even his own children have largely avoided government employment in favor of private wealth creation, with the exception of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba in the military.
The president highlighted the Parish Development Model as the primary vehicle for grassroots economic transformation. Under PDM guidelines, each parish receives 100 million shillings annually, with 30 percent specifically earmarked for youth. Museveni defended the parish-level approach, arguing that it reduces the bureaucracy and corruption often found at the district level.
In response to concerns that household heads often sideline youth when accessing PDM funds, Museveni provided new guidance on prioritization. He stated that youth in households that have not yet benefited from the fund should take precedence over those in households that have already received support.
To further support local youth leadership, NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Region Eng. Jonard Asiimwe announced that 15 million shillings would be added to subsequent PDM disbursements specifically for leaders.
Museveni also pointed to the ICT sector as a critical frontier for employment, citing Business Process Outsourcing as a way for Ugandans to serve global markets.
You can be an auditor here in Uganda, and a company in Canada sends you its books over the internet, Museveni said. He added that value addition in manufacturing, such as coffee processing and animal feed production, remains where the most significant financial returns are found.
During the meeting, youth leaders from the Kigezi, Ankole, Rwenzori and Bunyoro subregions formally endorsed Museveni as the NRM presidential flag-bearer for the 2026 election.