Museveni turns heat on MPs, leaders on theft of PDM cash

President Museveni has blamed elected leaders including Members of Parliament and local councillors (LCs) for failing to ensure proper management of Parish Development Model (PDM) monies.

He made the remarks during a press conference at Mbale State Lodge at the weekend.

The President was on a three-day tour to assess the performance of the PDM in Bukedi Sub-region, which ended yesterday.

“Why is our money for PDM being stolen by the civil servants when we have the LC1 and 111s. The LC111s are paid and they have motorcycles and the MPs are overpaid but I wonder why PDM funds are being stolen,” he said.

Mr Museveni said the local council system was established to empower communities to elect representatives who are committed to their needs and prioritise accountability after they realised that civil servants were corrupt and not loyal to the ruling government.

“The problem is many Ugandans don’t listen to my advice and they misuse power and they don’t elect quality leaders. They don’t also follow up after electing and ask them where their money is and why it is being stolen,” Mr Museveni said.

The government has been struggling to fight irregularities in the implementation of the PDM, a multi-billion government project that is meant to lift 17.5 million Ugandans out of poverty. President Museveni launched the scheme on February 26, 2022 at Kibuku District headquarters.

The irregularities, which include corruption, extortion, ghost members and bribery forced Mr Museveni two months ago to direct the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHAU) headed by Brig Gen Henry Isoke to conduct investigations across the country.

The irregularities and corruption are also to blame for low disbursement of PDM) funds in Bugisu and other sub-regions.

An evaluation report shared with the district leaders in September at Bulambuli District headquarters indicated about 28.7 percent progress in the programme’s implementation in the Bugisu sub-region.

According to the report, Mbale District, which registered 90 PDM Saccos, has a disbursement performance of 32 percent, Bududa, with 159 PDM Saccos, at 20 percent, while Mbale City, with 58 PDM Saccos, was at 5 percent.

Other districts like Namisindwa, with 163 Saccos, was at 2 percent and Sironko that has 224 PDM Saccos had 0 percent performance, Manafwa, with 155 PDM Saccos, stood at 60 percent, and Bulambuli, with 122 PDM Saccos, stood at 42 percent.

Ms Mariam Natasha, the spokesperson of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, told Daily Monitor earlier that about 35 five suspects have so far been arrested across the country and charged over misuse of PDM funds.

She said, for instance, in Ngora District, the chief administrative officer, the chief finance officer, the district commercial officer, the district planner, the community development officer and the production officer were arrested.

“They were arrested for the misappropriation of Shs242 million PDM cash meant for Ngora Saccos,”she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Museveni praised model farmers in the sub-region and urged Ugandans to become entrepreneurial to alleviate poverty.

He visited farms of Ms Florence Nabutono who deals in piggery and poultry in Kibuku District, Mr Patrick Keddi; a poultry farmer in Katakwi Village, and Mr Nimrod Mulonde who deals in fish, livestock and crops in Budaka District.

CORRUPTION

PDM Consultant for Eastern Uganda and Emyooga National Coordinator Ritah Namuwenge, in the past said corruption was the main reason for the low disbursement of PDM and Emyooga funds in the country. “We will fight corruption as we encourage the public to participate in PDM and Emyooga because they are magic bullets to alleviate poverty,”she said.