Expedite release of PDM money, hopefuls tell govt

Among the anomalies are discrepancies in the data of the beneficiaries that were collected by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, and also the negative mindset, especially among the youth.

In Kyotera District, some people have already accessed the money and injected it into different ventures. However, there are parishes where targeted beneficiaries are still waiting long after the programme was launched.

Leaders attribute the slow progress to data collectors and parish chiefs who have either delayed or failed to avail data to district commercial offices for scrutiny of beneficiaries.

Although the programme was launched nearly two months ago in Masaka City, of the 25 parishes, PDM has been implemented in only five parishes.

Masaka

Ms Sheila Akello, the Masaka City PDM coordinator, said they are considering the use of local leaders to popularise the programme.

“Many residents have not yet embraced the programme in parishes where it has kicked off, however, we plan to continue mobilising them [locals] through their leaders,” she said.

There is also a serious controversy on the period beneficiaries are supposed to return the revolving fund to benefit others. To some beneficiaries who spoke to the Daily Monitor, they were told to use the funds for a period of one year as per guidelines.

However, while on his wealth creation tour in Greater Masaka in May, Mr Museveni directed that the period should be extended to three years.

The chairperson of Mbarara District, Mr Didas Tabaaro, said some beneficiaries are yet to receive the money.

“There is still some money stuck in the account, but the problem is with the loans committee, they are the ones who delayed identifying the beneficiaries. However, by the end of this week, all the money will be given to the beneficiaries,” he said.

He said they do not have any ghost Sacco in 46 parishes, but added that the programme will work if the loans committee follows the guidelines.

According to the programme, each of Uganda’s 10,694 parishes is supposed to receive Shs100m. From this, each household is expected to get Shs1m to kick-start the project chosen by the beneficiaries.

Of Shs100m, women and youth are each entitled to 30 percent at every parish level while men get 20 percent and the elderly and persons with disabilities get 10 percent apiece. 

Mr Wilfred Kamusiime, the chairperson of Ruharo PDM Sacco, said they dispersed all the money to the group members.

“We dispersed all the money to members in the first session and the money that came around June 30 will be dispersed next week,” he said.

Mr Robert Atuhairwe, the Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner, said they registered a case of LCI chairpersons in Kizinda -Kigoma Town Council who got the money and yet they were not among the beneficiaries.

“So, I made them sign commitments to refund the money. I cautioned all ineligible people to stay away from PDM money,’’ Mr Atuhairwe said.

Amuria

In Amuria, the State minister for Works, Mr Musa Ecweru, said the money should be disbursed to all beneficiaries.  “This money should be working to change the lives of the people who are enlisted as beneficiaries,” he said.

Mr Ecweru said beneficiaries should use the money to either start piggery, poultry, produce or grow coffee.

“But still nobody will arrest you for starting a cassava chips business using PDM money meant for poultry as long as it brings daily income,” he said.

Mr Ecweru, who participated in the PDM launch at every sub-county, is hopeful that his district will be the best and a model.

In Butebo, the registered beneficiaries of PDM are crying foul after the disbursement of funds was halted due to alleged anomalies in the data that was collected by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.

Mr James Okurut, the chairperson of Butebo, told Daily Monitor that the district received Shs6.1b meant for 61 groups in the entire district, but acknowledged that funds are still on accounts in different banks.

“It is true the district got that money, but there was a challenge with the data that was collected and entered by the ICT ministry. The registered beneficiaries were instead being rejected by the system. This has definitely delayed the disbursement of funds to beneficiaries,” Mr Okurut said.

He added that the issue will be addressed within two weeks.

“As we speak, the district has started the verification exercise to enable the beneficiaries to open personal accounts with their respective banks,’’ Mr Okurut said.

He, however, assured the beneficiaries that it wasn’t the district’s intention to delay disbursing the funds.

“People had started to cast doubt into the programme, making falsehoods and accusing the district officials of embezzling the funds. Kindly don’t mix Politics with PDM,” he said.

 Ms Annet Nabwire, a PDM beneficiary, said they did all the documentation but they wonder what could have gone wrong.

 The District Commercial Officer (DCO), who is also the district PDM focal person, Mr Joseph Kalyebi, said the programme is running smoothly despite a slight delay to disburse the funds because of data collection challenges.

The Butebo Resident District Commissioner, Mr Paul Kalikwani, said during the verification exercise last week that the beneficiaries will get the money because “the government is committed to driving the population from subsistence to commercial farming in order to increase household incomes.’’

The Chief Administrative Officer, Ms Florence Nabugwasi, warned the intended beneficiaries against diverting the funds to nonproductive enterprises.

“This money is not for eating as others may think and neither for marrying more wives or paying school fees. If you get it, put it into viable enterprises to fight poverty,”Ms Nabukwasi said.

She said the funds are interest-free. 

In Koboko Municipality, Ms Margaret Driciru, a member of Matoguyi Cassava Production Sacco in Godia Ward, West Division, said they are still expecting to receive the money after completing a training organised for the beneficiaries.

 “We have been told that the money is still in the Sacco account. We hope it reaches us. If it doesn’t, we shall be disappointed,” she said.

West Nile

In the districts of Moyo, Obongi, and Adjumani, some of the youths are hesitant in accessing the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds due to the conditions attached to it.

The chairperson of Moyo, Mr Williams Anyama, said most of the borrowers of the PDM money are older people, suggesting that there is a lot to be done in terms of mindset change.

“The PDM money is lying idle, most of the Parish Saccos have given out less than 50 percent of the funds. People are borrowing, but with a lot of fear, and uncertainty and so I think we need to unlock the minds of the youths,” Mr Anyama said.

 Mr Anyama castigated the youth for not being ambitious and focused, insisting that, “the pillar of mindset change and transformation must be the biggest investment government must make to transform the mindsets of the youth.”

Mr Siraji Laliga, a youth in Adjumani Town, said he had been ignoring the programme because he did not understand the guidelines, but after getting information, he has developed interest.

“I have realised that the money is better than the loans we have been getting from the commercial banks. Once I get the money, I will invest it in a business,” Mr Laliga explained.

 The Adjumani District Parish Development Model focal person, Mr Godfrey Mamawi, said more than Shs2.2b has been disbursed to accounts of various beneficiaries while “Shs3.3b was received in late June and it has been deposited in the accounts of the numerous Saccos.’’

Mr Mamawi said Adjumani district formed 767 enterprise groups with a membership of 15,340 in all the 210 villages from the 56 parishes and selected 12 enterprises for implementation.

In Yumbe District, Mr Rashid Kawawa, the PDM focal person said the PDM funds were disbursed to all the PDM Sacco accounts in the district with the exception of three parishes that missed the Shs17 million disbursed in the previous year.

“We are going to write to the Finance ministry to inform them of the anomalies and establish whether they can plan for the parishes that missed funds for the previous year,” he said.

Digital wallet

During the launch of the Wendi Digital Wallet in Bukedea District last week, the Minister of State for Microfinance and Small Enterprises, Mr Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, said the digital platform will facilitate the timely transfer of PDM funds to the mobile money accounts of registered beneficiaries.

Wendi wallet is a new electronic payments system developed by Post Bank in partnership with MTN to support the government in the disbursement of PDM funds. It transfers cash from the bank account to the mobile money accounts of the PDM beneficiary.

Mr Julius Kakeeto, the managing director of Post Bank, said the platform will promote financial inclusion.

“It will empower communities, reduce financial burdens and foster inclusive growth,” Mr Kakeeto said.

During the launch, MTN Uganda also distributed about 170 smartphone devices to 170 Sacco representatives in Bukedea District. Sacco members will use the gadgets to access the PDM funds.

Compiled by Fred Wambede, Al Mahdi Ssenkabirwa & Richard Kyanjo,Julius Byamukama, Milton Bandiho,Felix Ainebyoona, George Muron,Felix Warom Okello, Robert Elema, Marko Taibot and Ronald Acema.