President Yoweri Museveni has kicked off his assessment tour of the Parish Development Model (PDM) in Greater Luwero with twin messages – demanding better police protection for rural communities while celebrating the success stories of farmers benefiting from the government’s poverty alleviation program.

The President began his tour on Tuesday, May 20, by calling for full implementation of his directive to deploy 18 police officers per sub-county nationwide, complete with motorcycles and sniffer dogs. This move aims to curb rampant theft that has been hurting farmers’ productivity.

“This theft is a nuisance that must stop,” Museveni declared during his visit to Luwero District. “We have the tools – police officers on standby, cameras on roads, communication systems and sniffer dogs. What we need is speed in response when crimes occur.”

His comments came after hearing repeated complaints from farmers about thieves targeting their produce and livestock. The President criticized the current policing approach, arguing that scattering officers randomly was less effective than having dedicated teams ready to respond quickly to incidents.

The security message formed part of Museveni’s broader tour to evaluate PDM’s impact in Luwero, Nakasongola and Nakaseke districts. At Sekamuli parish in Bamunanika sub-county, the President visited Hajjat Mariam Bayega, whose diversified farming operation impressed him.

“I’ve seen the chickens, cows, coffee and matooke here. This is excellent work,” Museveni said after touring Bayega’s farm. The President rewarded her efforts with Shs 12 million to buy two more dairy cows, a double-cabin vehicle for transport, and a promise of solar-powered irrigation.

Bayega revealed her family earns about Shs 37 million annually from coffee, cocoa, poultry and milk sales. However, she cited security concerns after the relocation of Ssekanyonyi Police Station as a major challenge.

Museveni didn’t leave empty-handed. He distributed Shs 1 million each to 10 other PDM beneficiaries in Sekamuli parish, plus Shs 5 million for mosque renovations and another Shs 5 million for the Anglican bishop of Luwero.

Earlier in Wobulenzi, the President visited Nakayenga Damalie, who transformed her PDM startup capital of Shs 1 million into a thriving operation with 400 chickens and 5 pigs. Museveni boosted her business with Shs 30 million – Shs 20 million for expansion and Shs 10 million to improve poultry structures.

Nakayenga praised PDM’s affordable 6% interest loans for enabling grassroots economic transformation. “This program has revived our community’s economic activities,” she told the President.

Government data shows significant PDM investments in the region. As of May 6, Shs 61.716 billion had been allocated to 240 PDM SACCOs across Greater Luwero’s three districts. Luwero District received the lion’s share at Shs 25.972 billion, followed by Nakaseke (Shs 18.257 billion) and Nakasongola (Shs 17.486 billion).

The region’s 1,093,714 people (per 2024 UBOS census) are spread across 8 constituencies, 48 sub-counties, 241 parishes and 1,428 villages – all now targets for PDM’s wealth creation agenda.

Responding to community concerns, Museveni ordered the relocation of Kikoma roadside market in Wobulenzi Town Council from wetland areas. He committed to purchasing new land for the market and assigned NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja to oversee the process.

The President’s Greater Luwero tour underscores his government’s dual focus – creating economic opportunities through PDM while ensuring security systems protect those gains. As more Ugandans embrace commercial agriculture, Museveni’s call for responsive policing aims to safeguard their investments from criminal elements.

With PDM funds flowing and security reforms demanded, the President’s message was clear: wealth creation requires both financial empowerment and physical protection. The coming months will show whether this comprehensive approach can deliver the transformation rural communities desperately need.