Museveni Threatens to Sack Ministers Over Persistent Village Poverty Despite Parish Funding

President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to ministers, threatening dismissal if poverty levels remain high in their regions despite the implementation of parish-based government funding initiatives. Museveni stressed that leaders must assume personal responsibility for transforming household incomes and ensuring public funds translate into tangible improvements in people's lives. This warning comes as the Cabinet's term has expired, with a new ministerial team yet to be appointed, suggesting the directive is aimed at future appointees and senior government officials. The President stated he would personally assess program implementation during field visits and take decisive action against underperforming leaders. "If you are a minister and I come to your village and people are still suffering, I will sack you," Museveni declared. He emphasized that poverty should not persist in areas with access to land, particularly where government resources have been channeled through the parish development programs. Museveni noted that while wealth creation programs have been introduced over the years, weak supervision and poor follow-up by leaders have hampered their effectiveness. The parish-level funding, which allocates approximately Shs800 million per parish, is intended to bolster household enterprises and facilitate a shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture and small-scale industry. The President urged Members of Parliament and local leaders to diligently monitor fund utilization and strengthen accountability mechanisms at the grassroots. He warned that the government would not tolerate leaders who fail to supervise implementation while remaining in public office. Future phases of the program are expected to see increased funding allocations to further expand household incomes and economic participation, with a long-term goal of ensuring all households with productive land benefit from government initiatives.

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If you are a minister and I come to your village and people are still suffering, I will sack you.