Parish Development Model will not work
- Written by PROF MORRIS OGENGA-LATIGO
Why must a sane government do crazy things to keep people in financial ignorance, darkness and isolation, and for them to remain dependent on the state and those in power?
When the Plan for Modernization of Agriculture (PMA) was mooted in Tororo in 1996 under then Vice President Dr Specioza W. Kazibwe, it had clear targets and pillars for actualization that included, among others, extension service and financial intermediation.
By this, households and communities had targets to aim for, skills to develop and achievements to attain; while government and its field staff equally had targets to aim for but, more importantly, milestones against which they, as change agents, would be measured and rewarded or punished.
The collective success of the two sides (the people and government) would have been a progressive, rapidly modernizing and transforming Ugandan agriculture, export boom, an increasingly integrated and self-sustaining economy; and rapidly growing household incomes with capacities to meet basic needs; educate, build skills and transform productivity; accumulate capital and invest in other productive activities; and to further educate and inspire offsprings and achieve family transformation.
These, in turn, would have enabled rapid growth of a sustainable, competent financial sector; building internal purchasing power and markets; attracting large investments; generating revenue and freeing government from excessive borrowing and wasteful expenditures on public service delivery, basic and wasteful societal support, buying of political support and reliance on falsifying data, sloganeering, empty promises, raising of false hope as society slides to backwardness.
Alas, our government shot all the possibilities that PMA would have addressed down, with claims of limiting government role in agriculture to creating an “enabling environment” for private sector agriculture.
Tragically with this, even the agricultural progress of the 1960s has been buried, with hold on power and corruption counting as their key foundations for success; economic disparities are pitting the poor against the rich, communities against themselves, and even tribes against tribes with the stench of hatred almost suffocating our country.
The Parish Development Model thing will not work. You long ago killed the patience, institutional framework, competencies, trust, honesty, patriotism and national pride and purposeness that are basic preconditions for national success.
At the very minimum, use the PDM money you are about to waste to start a “Bank for Integrated Rural Development” that will offer concessional long-term portfolios and opportunities to learn and progress; and create competent bodies to train people to effectively borrow, invest, earn, save and grow.
With light visible down the tunnel, the hope that always anchors and propels humanity to attain seemingly impossible goals will be restored in our country, and we will begin to see real progress that handouts, arrogance and empty sloganeering will never deliver.
Of course this will require humility, honestly and an acceptance that no one of us is God who can merely will success. And let no one doubt the truth that only reconciliation, rededication, patience and collective action will prevent our country from the inevitable chaos and abyss that our current path is taking us.
We must change the course for the good of our country and all our people.
Comments
They jump into the bandwagon of the Museveni war from 1981.
Museveni and his warmongers, turned the guns used to remove Amin from power, on the same comrades they fought Amin together.
Our brothers and sisters who fought in the 1978/79 liberation war become enemies of some Ugandans who think they are more Ugandans than them.
Our brothers stood firm to defend the country from falling in to the hands of crooks in the name of Museveni and his NRA/M.
My brothers and sisters including some Ugandans who love the country suffered in Luwero. They became the killers in Luwero while the rebels (NRA) were the protectors of the people in Luwero.
We left the capital (Kampala), during this time, the word "we are sleeping,". We are now free. Those from the north should never come to power again.
The same people who accused our people for killing in Luwero, come and walk with their boots on our head for 20 years. Showing how powerfull they were.
Those who were enjoying the advent of the terrorist (NRA/M) in power are now crying together with us. They have now seen the flawed of the angels who fell from the heaven of Luwero.The angels are now become satan of the yesterday and today.
What we either do not know, or we are affraid of saying it loud and clear. Is how can we end the regime in power?
Are we going to keep on lamenting, begging, crying, accusing the regime?
When the are arrested and put in police custody or jail, they feel elated and think that they are trully fighting for the frreedom of Uganda.
What they do not know is that, some of their action(s) portray dictator Museveni and a good or benevolent dictator. The international community see Museveni as a better dictator.
This is not because Museveni is a good dictator or leader. It is because the current political elites in Uganda are using the wrong means of fighting the dictator.
They want to fight the regime in the same parliament, controlled by the regime. They pretend to fight the regime on the streets worked on and maintaned by the regime.
This is where our problem is. We or one can write as many ideas or complains against what this regime is doing. But so long as the same regime is in power, nothing good will come out of their leadership (36 years) in power.
Rebellion is the only thing that can wake them (NRA/M) up and show them exit. We must fight the regime but not slap them on their face and expect them to run away.