In President Yoweri Museveni’s ongoing countrywide performance assessment tours of the Parish Development Model (PDM) beneficiaries and successful model farmers, a lot of lessons are being learned. For example, it has to the fore that some observers cannot differentiate between model farmers and farmers who are beneficiaries under PDM.
Recall that PDM beneficiaries are those that were previously absent in the money economy. Model farmers are calculative farmers who have been in the business for some time and have created wealth out of their enterprises; people like Nyakana Robert of Rwengaju in Fort Portal City, the Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) Bugangaizi West) and Mr. Joseph Ijara of Serere district.
The President often references such model farmers in his speeches as a way to inspire the doubting Thomases.
Without him visiting them, and publicising their success stories, doubters would say “it’s impossible to earn that much” or that “they were ‘spoonfed’ on large sums of Government money” or that “these aren’t Ugandan enterprises”, that, in fact, “they are in Europe or South Africa”.
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We have such skeptics among us!
The President can’t mistake who is who when he is at the frontline of ensuring that it’s strictly the intended and deserving people who receive PDM money. Most model farmers were in business before PDM started. They picked previous messages of the President on Wealth Creation, implemented them and now they are prospering.
It’s important that people tell apart the two categories of people that the President is visiting. Apart from the above example of the Byamukamas, during his recently concluded Ankole Sub-Region tour, he also visited Pamoja Mixed Farm in Sheema, owned by Ms. Honest Abenawe, a former principal human resource officer in Mitooma District, and her husband, the Kasese Municipality town clerk.
On this, one Chrispus Katunda posted on social media accusing the couple of having irregularly benefitted from PDM because they are well known civil servants. Katunda’s vigilance is noted and commendable but the couple are model farmers-not PDM beneficiaries.
Usually, when i see such a mix-up of facts, it is my hope that those raising complaints do so with a genuine heart and that they take the trouble to understand the purpose and reach of the President’s tours. A big challenge with social media is of people posting without researching on a matter and then misleading others with uninformed posts. Then, as usual, others want to portray the President as if he doesn’t know what he is doing and that he is being misled by officials.
Some model farmers like Byamukama, are blessed to have Government jobs on the side. That’s the reward for paying attention to elders, employing best practices, hard work, discipline, ambition and diversifying one’s sources of income. Someone earning over Shs 700 Million per annum from his farm isn’t looking for what to eat.
They have enough. What they are doing is creating opportunities for others (like jobs) and increasing the country’s production capacity in a sector which remains the biggest bargain for Uganda in the global economy. That’s why the President refers to them and promotes their example, and often also gives them support under different arrangements.
If we had more “white collar” employees investing part of their earnings to create model “economic hubs” in different parishes and villages, it would work for the greater good.
We want to see more ministers, permanent secretaries, commissioners, generals, directors, MPs and more such government employees ploughing back their earnings to create opportunities for those living around them in their areas of origin or where they live.
That’s how the PDM category will see that agriculture isn’t only for “peasants” but an economic lifeline more rewarding than any Government or office job. Which office job pays more than Shs 700 Million per year and is sustainable? I am not aware of any.
Again, the President revealed how some PDM beneficiaries had told him that they had never touched a million shillings before the advent of PDM. This statement attracted sarcastic reactions from sections of the public. The concerned expressed shock that anyone had never touched a million shillings in their life.
Clearly, the commenters are either in the “white collar” class or those that have been in profitable business for long and who are accustomed to transacting big sums. People haven’t been equal before the economy and that’s what government came up with PDM to cure.
However, the catch in this is “some”-not all-beneficiaries. Even for the “some”, they meant holding a million shillings in one go from any source. It’s not that cumulatively over their lives they have never held such amounts. Holding a compound sum of Money boosts one’s confidence and outlook into the future.
Having and investing Shs100, 000 in a venture, doesn’t produce similar results as when one invests a million. The more the investment value, the higher the anticipated profit margin. This is what has excited the “million shilling” beneficiaries, because they see a big boost to their potential.
Truth be told, a million shillings even for a salary earner can change a number of things. In the corporate world, I always see successful business people looking back at the first time they made or received a million shillings as a major milestone that propelled them to greater heights. Therefore, people have a right to be happy and motivated at the opportunity for such direct support from the Government. We shouldn’t pretend to be a country of billionaires when we know that among us are many still seeking their big break and it could be PDM that does it for them. It is our prayer that as the “models” celebrate touching their first million, they utilise it prudently so that it empowers them to touch ten million as soon as possible or be like Byamukama.
Haji Faruk Kirunda is the Special Presidential
Assistant-Press Mobilisation/Deputy Spokesperson
Email: faruk.kirunda@statehouse.go.ug
0776980486/0783990861
