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Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Disability Affairs, Hon. Joyce Acan Okeny in a Yellow floral with Blue court, during a photo moment with members and leaders of district and sub-county councils for Persons with Disabilit
Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Disability Affairs, Hon. Joyce Acan Okeny in a Yellow floral with Blue court, during a photo moment with members and leaders of district and sub-county councils for Persons with Disabilities in the West Nile sub-region.
By Dramadri Federick
Arua City
The Government of Uganda has announced an additional 500,000 Shillings non-refundable grant for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) benefiting from the Parish Development Model (PDM), in a move aimed at easing the financial burden associated with accessing the program.
The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Disability Affairs, Hon. Joyce Acan Okeny, during a regional capacity-building workshop for members and leaders of district and sub-county councils for Persons with Disabilities in the West Nile sub-region, hosted by Arua District.
Minister Acan said the government recognized that many Persons with Disabilities incur extra costs while processing and accessing PDM funds. These include transport expenses, payments for personal assistants or helpers, and communication costs such as airtime required to follow up on their applications.
She explained that every eligible Person with Disability who receives a PDM loan will also receive an additional 500, 000 Shillings grant, regardless of the nature or severity of their disability. Unlike the PDM loan itself, the additional money is not refundable and is intended solely to meet the extra costs that beneficiaries face in accessing the program.
“The 500,000 shillings has already been approved, we have shared circulars to that effect and effective July this financial year, and any PWD who is borrowing money under PDM shall receive it along with the loan to cover the expenses”. Minister Acan Said.
The Minister added the funds can now be accessed effective July 1, 2026 as the new financial year starts.
Speaking at the same event, the Commissioner for Disability and Elderly Affairs at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Prosper Muhumuza, emphasized that the 500, 000 shillings is a government grant and should not be treated as part of the loan.
Muhumuza clarified that the money is non-taxable and non-refundable, urging local government officials and technical staff to ensure that all eligible Persons with Disabilities receive the support without discrimination or unnecessary delays.
He warned that officials who deny qualified beneficiaries access to the grant would be held accountable for frustrating the government’s efforts to promote inclusive development under the Parish Development Model.
“Don’t hide these funds for the PWDs, we are overwhelmed with issues of extortion and this must stop otherwise we shall take any technocrat involved in extorting Persons With Disabilities to Jail without compromise”. Muhumuza warned
The Programs Manager of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), Lillian Namukasa, welcomed the government’s decision, describing it as a timely intervention for thousands of Persons with Disabilities across the country.
Namukasa noted that although the Council has consistently advocated for increased support for Persons with Disabilities, it has lacked adequate resources to help beneficiaries meet the costs of accessing government livelihood programs. She said the new grant will reduce the financial barriers that have prevented some Persons with Disabilities from fully benefiting from the Parish Development Model.
“Our Budget was 679million last financial year and it has been enhanced slightly to 800million shillings and this is still far below our expectations to deliver our mandates” Namukasa noted
Programs Manager of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), Lillian Namukasa welcomed the grant offer by government to PWDs.
The regional workshop brought together leaders of district and sub-county councils for Persons with Disabilities from across the West Nile sub-region to strengthen their capacity to advocate for disability-inclusive development and improve the implementation of government programs at the local level.
Since its rollout in the 2021/2022 financial year, the Parish Development Model has injected 3.261 trillion shillings into 10,589 PDM SACCOs across Uganda, benefiting more than 3.262 million people. The program was designed to transition households from subsistence production into the money economy by supporting income-generating activities at the parish level.
Under the Parish Development Model, funds allocated to the Parish Revolving Fund are ring-fenced to ensure equitable access among different categories of beneficiaries. The current allocation reserves 30% of the funds for women, 30% for youth, 10% for Persons with Disabilities, 10% for older persons, and the remaining 20% for men and other eligible community members.
Government officials expressed optimism that the introduction of the additional 500,000 shillings grant will improve access to PDM funds for Persons with Disabilities, enabling more beneficiaries to participate in productive economic activities and ensuring that no one is left behind in the country’s socio-economic transformation agenda.