President Museveni has promised to allocate Shs1 billion to each ghetto structure across Uganda, acknowledging that the Parish Development Model (PDM) has failed to address the needs of urban youth.
The announcement came during his visit to Bwaise, one of Kampala’s most densely populated suburbs, where the President braved heavy rain to interact with youth groups engaged in grassroots income-generating projects under the Ghetto Structure Initiative.
The initiative is coordinated by Maj. Gen. Christopher Damulira and Maj. Ema Kuteesa and operates independently of the PDM framework.
Museveni’s tour included inspection of small businesses run by youth, ranging from water supply services and charcoal vending to cosmetics, artistic signage, and fuel retail.
The entrepreneurs reported that their start-up funding—typically Shs500,000—came not from the government’s flagship PDM but through SACCOs established under the Ghetto Structure program.
“This money may look small, but it changed my life,” one beneficiary said. “I now supply water to 50 households every day and earn a stable income.”
Maj. Ema Kuteesa used the occasion to highlight the program’s resource gap, saying the current financing model cannot match the demand in Kampala’s informal settlements.
“The ghetto youth are many, and their needs are urgent. This should be treated as a national priority,” he urged.
President Museveni acknowledged the criticism, admitting that PDM’s rural orientation had left urban youth behind. He pledged a new urban-focused funding model in the next term.
“In my next term, we shall focus on the urban poor. We shall allocate Shs1 billion per ghetto—not Shs100 million per parish—because the youth here have shown they can work,” Museveni said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
He added that the funds will be disbursed directly from the national budget, bypassing what he called “bureaucratic bottlenecks” that had undermined earlier initiatives. He also promised to raise the loan threshold under the Ghetto Structure initiative, citing Shs500,000 as insufficient.
“These young people are determined and need bigger capital to grow. We are increasing the loan package,” Museveni pledged.
In a political appeal, the President urged the youth to support NRM candidates in the 2026 general elections, saying this would ensure stronger representation of their interests.
“You need MPs who understand your issues and can bring them to me directly. Support the NRM, and we shall continue this journey together,” he said.
As a gesture of appreciation, the ghetto youth presented the President with a hand-painted portrait of himself in military fatigues. Museveni accepted the gift with a smile and used the moment to promise increased funding for Uganda’s urban arts sector.
“This is talent,” he said. “We shall also support the artists as part of this new urban program.”
The President’s pledge signals a broader shift in NRM’s campaign strategy as it seeks to consolidate support in Uganda’s urban centers, where youth unemployment and economic frustration remain key political flashpoints.
