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WAKISO, July 10, 2025 – President Yoweri Museveni has called on leaders in Wakiso District to intensify grassroots mobilization and adopt practical strategies aimed at transforming citizens’ livelihoods.

Speaking at the Wakiso District headquarters on the fourth day of his ongoing Parish Development Model (PDM) assessment tour, the President emphasized the need for leaders to work closely with local governance structures, beginning at the parish level, to ensure that no household is left behind in the development agenda.

“Leaders are like doctors—before treating people, you must first diagnose the problems affecting them,” President Museveni remarked, urging leaders to have an accurate understanding of their communities. He underscored the importance of maintaining up-to-date demographic data to facilitate the delivery of targeted government services.

The President drew from personal experience, sharing how in the 1960s he prioritized wealth creation through land acquisition and commercial farming in Rwakitura, ahead of infrastructure development. He noted that while roads and electricity eventually reached the area, his wealth was built earlier through productive agricultural activity.

He outlined five key pillars that local leaders must champion: peace, development, wealth creation, job creation, and service delivery. President Museveni stressed that wealth generation, particularly through commercial agriculture, manufacturing, and the service sector, is the foundation for job creation, especially for the youth.

“If there is no wealth, there are no jobs,” he cautioned, urging leaders to assess how many households in their areas are engaged in commercial economic activities. He also reiterated the importance of fighting corruption and encouraged exploration of markets for locally produced goods, promising to delve deeper into the subject.

Growing Support for NRM

Rosemary Seninde, the NRM Director for Mobilization, who represented the party’s Secretary General, reported increased grassroots support for the ruling party since the 2021 general elections.

Former Wakiso District NRM chairperson flag-bearer Moses Mayanja, speaking on behalf of district leaders, delivered a comprehensive progress report highlighting achievements as well as ongoing challenges in the district’s transformation efforts.

Mayanja pointed to the positive impact of the Emyooga program, designed to stimulate wealth creation and financial inclusion. Since 2021, Wakiso District has established 467 digitized Emyooga SACCOs, which collectively received over UGX 10.2 billion in seed capital. These groups have mobilized UGX 2.7 billion in member contributions and disbursed UGX 11.3 billion in loans to support micro-entrepreneurs—especially women and youth—engaged in small-scale businesses and value-added initiatives.

However, Mayanja acknowledged the strain created by the district’s fast-growing population, now estimated at 4.1 million. He noted that of the roughly 333,000 eligible households under the PDM, only about 2,262 have benefited to date. To improve reach and impact, he proposed increasing the current PDM funding per parish from UGX 3.1 billion, allowing for wider household inclusion and accelerated development.

President Museveni’s tour continues as he evaluates the implementation of government programmes and reaffirms the need for structured, data-driven leadership to drive economic transformation across Uganda.