In Summary: Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye has distributed business equipment and agricultural inputs to youth, women and persons with disabilities in Bbandwe, Wakiso District, while questioning delays in Parish Development Model (PDM) disbursements and raising concerns over poor roads and the charcoal ban.
Wakiso, Uganda — Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs and Office of the National Chairman (ONC) Manager Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye has extended an empowerment initiative to youth, women and persons with disabilities in Bbandwe Cell, Kasenge Ward, Kyengera Town Council, distributing start-up equipment and agricultural inputs to support income-generating activities.
The empowerment drive was conducted during a thanksgiving ceremony organised by Bbandwe LC1 Chairperson Tawetwa Ezekiel Nakalya, targeting unemployed young people, women and other vulnerable residents with practical tools to help them establish businesses and improve household livelihoods.
Items distributed included popcorn machines, sewing machines, hair dryers, shaving machines, salon accessories, high-yield maize and bean seeds, fertilisers and selected pesticides.
Addressing beneficiaries, Namyalo urged them to put the equipment and agricultural inputs to productive use, saying the support was intended to help recipients establish sustainable sources of income rather than remain dependent on handouts.
She also challenged local leaders to remain connected to their communities, identify people’s challenges and lobby for interventions that directly improve livelihoods.
“It is our responsibility as leaders to improve the livelihoods of our people,” Namyalo said, emphasising that leadership should translate into practical improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.
The gathering also provided an opportunity for residents to raise concerns affecting their livelihoods, with delayed Parish Development Model (PDM) disbursements, the charcoal ban and poor road infrastructure featuring prominently.
Namyalo questions delayed PDM funds
On the PDM programme, Namyalo questioned the progress of implementation in the area and sought clarification from Henry Luzinda, the ONC Coordinator for Wakiso District, over why some intended beneficiaries had not received their funds.
Luzinda explained that the parish had so far received Shs100 million under the programme, of which Shs50 million had been disbursed, while the remaining Shs50 million was awaiting distribution.
He attributed the delay to changes in the parish’s PDM leadership structure, explaining that the previous committee had been disbanded over corruption concerns and a newly elected team was yet to be entered into the programme’s system.
He assured residents that the outstanding funds would be released for distribution once the new leadership team had been uploaded onto the system.
The exchange brought renewed attention to implementation challenges affecting the PDM, a government initiative designed to move financial resources directly to communities through parish-level structures to support household income generation.
Charcoal ban and road concerns raised
Namyalo also expressed concern about the impact of the charcoal ban on ordinary citizens whose livelihoods depend on charcoal-related activities, adding her voice to calls for authorities to consider the economic realities facing affected communities.
She said government was undertaking consultations on the matter and urged residents to remain patient as authorities reviewed the restrictions and considered possible solutions.
On infrastructure, Namyalo questioned delays surrounding the Nateete-Kasenge Road project, saying poor road conditions continued to inconvenience residents and disrupt economic activities. She informed the gathering that the new Minister of Works and Transport, Byamukama, was following up on the project to ensure progress.
The road is an important connection for residents and businesses in the surrounding communities, making its improvement a key local concern.
Sewing machines to support vocational training
In a related intervention, Namyalo said some sewing machines had been handed over to the LC1 chairperson to facilitate the training of girls and women in tailoring and other practical skills. She explained that the machines would enable local leaders to equip women and girls with vocational skills before they receive additional support to establish their own businesses.
Namyalo pledged to return for a larger empowerment exercise targeting those who successfully complete the training and demonstrate readiness to start income-generating ventures.
The approach, she said, was intended to link skills development with access to business equipment and opportunities for economic independence.
NRM leaders commend grassroots mobilisation
At the same event, Kyengera NRM Chairperson Geoffrey Ssebagala commended Namyalo for engaging grassroots leaders and visiting communities to understand their challenges and pursue practical solutions.
He also praised Luzinda for his mobilisation efforts during the 2026 general elections, crediting him with helping NRM candidates and supporters organise across Wakiso District.
Ssebagala claimed that the district secured three NRM parliamentary seats and that the party won in 650 of Wakiso’s 730 villages during the elections.
Nakalya, who hosted the thanksgiving ceremony, thanked Namyalo for honouring his invitation and extending the empowerment initiative to residents. “Thank you, Hajjat Namyalo, for always thinking about our local communities. If President Museveni had 50 Namyalos in Uganda, we would have gone far,” he said.
He added that the equipment would give residents an opportunity to establish small businesses, generate income and improve the welfare of their families.
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