Residents and leaders of Oyam District have hailed President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for transforming livelihoods through the Parish Development Model (PDM).
According to the residents, the PDM initiative has elevated the district to the top ranks of performers across Uganda as far as economic transformation is concerned.
This was revealed today during the Presidential campaign at Boma Grounds, Oyam, where President Museveni, also the NRM Presidential flag bearer, addressed hundreds of his supporters.
The campaign is running under the theme: “Protecting the Gains, Making a Qualitative Leap into High Middle-Income Status.”
According to the latest national assessment , Oyam District was ranked the best-performing PDM district in Northern Uganda and fourth nationally.
The study was conducted by the Ministry of Local Government in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister and the PDM Secretariat under the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Welcoming the President to the district, Mr. Bosco Onyik Ogwal, the NRM District Chairperson for Oyam, described the visit as a moment of pride and renewal.
“Your Excellency, we welcome you to Oyam. We are ready, ready to take Oyam back to the NRM,” he declared, to resounding applause from the crowd.
Mr. Ogwal highlighted that Oyam District, with a population of over 500,000 people, has 16 Sub-counties and Town Councils, 74 Parishes, and 1,094 villages.
“Through PDM, the district has received Shs 15.26bn , all of which has been disbursed to 15,358 beneficiary households out of 110,658 total households,” he said.
“This means thousands of families who were previously in the subsistence economy are now participating in the money economy. Women have formed SACCOs, young people have begun small enterprises, and lives are changing,” he said.
He also thanked the President for the reconstruction of Nile Secondary School and the planned upgrade of the Akii Bua Stadium, describing it as “the pride of the Lango Sub-region.”
He further expressed gratitude for the government’s commitment to education, noting that the district has 109 Government primary schools and 160 private schools, alongside 10 Government secondary schools that all implement the Universal Secondary Education (USE) and Universal Post O-Level Education and Training (UPOLET) programmes.
In addition, Mr. Ogwal mentioned that the Student Loan Scheme has benefited 120 learners from Oyam with 87 male and 33 female, enabling students from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education.
“The District also boasts 44 health facilities, including 17 Health Centre IIIs and Anyeke Health Centre IV, while immunization campaigns have significantly improved child survival rates. Safe water coverage now stands at 78% , above the national rural average,” he noted .
Despite these milestones, he requested that the Government consider creating Aber District to bring services closer to the people.
“Your Excellency, we also request for the upgrading of the Oyam Health Centre IV to a general hospital, and tarmacking key roads including Loro–Minakulu and Oyam–Iceme routes to enhance connectivity.”
In his address, President Museveni commended Oyam’s achievements under the PDM, reaffirming the NRM’s philosophy of inclusive development and unity.
He reminded the people of Uganda’s long journey from division to peace, describing the NRM’s founding mission to unite Ugandans beyond tribe and religion.
“Initially, we were members of the old parties, DP, UPC, Kabaka Yekka but those were sectarian. In 1965, we started study groups in the universities to unite young people from all backgrounds. That’s how the NRM was born to fight Idi Amin and build a new Uganda,” the President said.
Reflecting on Uganda’s stability, President Museveni emphasized that the country is experiencing its longest period of peace in centuries.
“For the first time in 500 years, we have had peace. Before the Europeans came, this area was full of tribal wars between Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Busoga. After independence, the wars resumed. But today, because of unity and a strong national army, Uganda is peaceful,” he noted.
He explained that this peace has enabled the establishment of strong national institutions like the army and the judiciary, which form the foundation for sustainable development.
The President further cautioned citizens against passivity, urging them to take full advantage of the infrastructure and economic opportunities available.
“If there is a tarmac road or a school in your area, are you going to sleep on the road or in the school? You go back home and if you’re not working for money, you’ll still find poverty waiting for you. That’s why everyone must participate in wealth creation,” he explained.
President Museveni reiterated that every family can escape poverty through agriculture for both food and income, supported by government programmes such as PDM and Emyooga.
President Museveni announced that the government will increase PDM funding to Shs 300 million per parish in town areas, while rural parishes will receive Shs 150 million, including an additional Shs 15 million for leaders to strengthen coordination and monitoring.
“When it comes to wealth creation, we don’t want spectators. With football or athletics, you have sportspeople and spectators—but with wealth creation, everyone must be a player,” he said.
Furthermore, the President also outlined new initiatives to boost livelihoods in Northern Uganda, including fish farming and livestock restocking.
“I saw people planting rice in the swamps, that’s misusing our wetlands. You will earn more from fish ponds than rice. The government will invest heavily in fish farming in Lango, Teso, Busoga, and Bukedi,” he announced.
On livestock, President Museveni revealed a plan to restock Northern Uganda with five cows per homestead, describing it as a democratic and transformative approach.
“Recently I called your leaders and asked why we don’t have a democratic formula for restocking. I proposed five cows per homestead. The majority supported it, and I have instructed the government to plan for it.”
President Museveni concluded by pledging to prioritize the tarmacking of the key roads in Lango region and elevate the Oyam Health Centre IV to a referral hospital, bringing essential services closer to the people.
The event was also graced by NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) members, Members of Parliament, religious and cultural leaders.
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