On April 1, 2025, President Yoweri Museveni initiated a significant leadership reshuffle within the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), relieving Emmy Katabazi of his duties as deputy spy chief and reassigning him to a diplomatic role. Katabazi had spent recent months steering the agency following the death of Director General Col. Charles Oluka. While his tenure in security was impactful, Katabazi’s contributions to Uganda’s socio-economic landscape—particularly through the Parish Development Model (PDM)—stand out as a testament to his ingenuity. As he transitions, Ugandans should celebrate his efforts in bolstering this transformative program, ensuring it remains a bedrock of national development.
Launched in 2021, the PDM is a cornerstone of Museveni’s strategy to eradicate poverty by making the parish the epicenter of economic transformation. With 10,594 parishes across Uganda, the initiative commits 100 million Ugandan shillings annually to each, offering affordable credit to rural households previously excluded from the cash economy. Eligible beneficiaries—primarily subsistence farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs—receive a startup facility of 1 million shillings to boost production or pursue value-adding ventures. This ambitious rollout, however, demands meticulous oversight to succeed across such a sprawling network. Katabazi’s innovation rose to meet this challenge head-on.
Katabazi zeroed in on Pillar Three of the PDM: access to affordable credit. Drawing on his position at ISO, he spearheaded the development of a technology-driven monitoring tool that has redefined the program’s implementation. I witnessed this firsthand at a meeting where Katabazi unveiled the app—an impressive fusion of simplicity and power. Built with ISO’s technical expertise, it delivers real-time data on beneficiaries: their locations, economic activities, and progress. This isn’t just a database; it’s a dynamic platform that enhances transparency, accountability, and decision-making at every level of administration.
Consider the logistics of supervising a program spanning thousands of parishes and millions of beneficiaries. District officials, chief administrative officers (CAOs), and resident district commissioners (RDCs) often grapple with limited visibility into grassroots realities. Katabazi’s app changes that. Imagine an RDC pulling up a smartphone to pinpoint a farmer in a remote village, verify their use of PDM funds, and address bottlenecks—all in real time. This tool isn’t a futuristic concept; it’s a practical solution Katabazi delivered, bridging the gap between policy and impact.
The Western world has long harnessed technology—smartphones, satellites, and data analytics—to empower communities and streamline governance. Uganda, with its vibrant yet underserved rural population, stands to gain immensely from such approaches. Katabazi’s innovation is a step in that direction, but its potential reaches beyond ISO. The PDM Secretariat, Microfinance Support Centre, Ministry of Gender, and other agencies serving “last-mile” communities should adopt this tool. Its wider application could amplify not just the PDM but also initiatives like the Youth Livelihood Programme or Emyooga, ensuring resources hit their mark.
As Katabazi exits ISO, his legacy deserves recognition. President Museveni, too, merits applause for cultivating an environment where such creativity thrives. Yet a critical question remains: will this tool scale up? I request the President to deploy it to ministers, permanent secretaries, CAOs, and RDCs—key players in Uganda’s development ecosystem. Broad adoption could revolutionize how we execute national priorities, from poverty alleviation to infrastructure growth.
Farewell, Col. Katabazi. Your work has fortified the PDM, cementing its role as a vehicle for progress. As you embark on your diplomatic mission, we hope you’ll carry the same vision and drive that marked your tenure. Uganda’s path to prosperity hinges on leaders who don’t just dream of change but craft the tools to make it happen.
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Mike Ssegawa is the Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Kassanda District and a veteran journalist.
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