In a startling revelation, recent audits have uncovered significant discrepancies in the managing of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds. The investigation reveals that a substantial portion of these funds intended for eradication of poverty among Ugandans has been misappropriated.
Three leaders of the Kween PDM SACCO group in East Division, Kapchorwa Municipality, have been arrested for allegedly extorting money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program. The suspects, whose names have not been released, are accused of demanding payment from beneficiaries in exchange for forms, vouchers, and other services related to the program.
Cherotwo Lillian, a beneficiary of the program, has revealed that she was asked to pay UGX 55,000 to receive her share of the funds, despite being entitled to UGX 1 million as per government guidelines. Lillian claims to have spent up to UGX 120,000 on various payments requested by the SACCO leaders.
The suspects are currently being held at Kapchorwa Central Police for questioning. No further information has been released regarding the allegations or any potential charges.
More individuals have been involving in the extortion of the PDM fund including the former Kabala Chief Administration Officer Mr. Edmond Ntimba with Mwebesa Beda and other were arrested for alleged misappropriation of Ugshs 289 million. Andrew Leru, Chief Administration Officer of Obongi District disgorged 30.6million while at Arua Central Police.
The Deputy RDC Kapchorwa, Mr. Sakaja Martin, has condemned the practice of extortion, terming it a frustration to government programs. He has warned all SACCO leaders against extorting money from beneficiaries, emphasizing that they have been fully facilitated by the government and should not request any payments.
On that note, the government has opted to allocate this fund only twice in a fiscal year as per the Ministry’s director of financial management, Godfrey Ssemugooma, during his address at the National NGO Forum dialogue on PDM implementation in Kampala.
“The disbursement of PDM funds will now occur exclusively in January and June each fiscal year to allow recipients sufficient time to effectively utilize the allocated funds,” he declared.
Mr Cyprian Chillanyang, the Ministry of Local Government commissioner for planning, said local governments, as the implementers across the country, had put in place structures needed to make PDM a success, but also indicated that repayment of PDM cash, which is a revolving fund, will begin in 2026, noting that government will, between September and October, evaluate all the 10,594 beneficiary Saccos to get a clear picture of how PDM cash is being used.
Mr Vincent Tumusiime Bamugaya, the Office of the President directorate of socio-economic monitoring and research, said this can be sorted by understanding what we are getting right and what we are getting wrong.”
“We need planning for the community to be harmonized and be implemented in an integrated way because we want to see families graduating from subsistence to the money economy,” he said.
So far, at least Shs2.4 trillion has been extended to 1.16 million Ugandan households through PDM, according to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija.
Joselyn Nakitto is a staff writer at SML News Ug with passion in health, business, and current affairs. She can be contacted on 0709603158