Buwambo Residents Petition Balaam Over Land Disputes, PDM Funds and Health Centre Charges

What the report says

Residents of Buwambo in Nansana Municipality have appealed to the government to address a cluster of local grievances, according to Nile Post. The community petitioned Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara over alleged land grabbing, disputes linked to village chairperson elections, problems accessing Parish Development Model (PDM) funds and complaints about charges at health facilities.

The residents gathered at Buwambo Playground with placards to press for intervention and asked authorities to help resolve what they described as long-running disputes affecting daily life and access to public services. They said some health workers were demanding money for services that should be free, while others argued that PDM funding reaching parishes was too small or difficult to access.

In response, Barugahara reportedly told police to arrest health workers found illegally charging patients. He also said the government was considering increasing the amount allocated to parishes so more people could benefit from the PDM programme. The report also noted a separate political moment at the gathering, when Katooke B Village Chairperson Stephen Kaweesa appeared in PLU/NRM colours and said he had left the National Unity Platform, claiming unfair treatment.

The episode highlights continuing local tensions over land, service delivery and the rollout of government development programmes in parts of Wakiso District. It also reflects the wider national importance of PDM, a flagship poverty-alleviation initiative whose effectiveness has been the subject of public complaints and official scrutiny.