Rwampara District bosses refund misappropriated PDM money
Rwampara extension workers line up to receive the money that was refunded in the PDM cleanup exercise on Wednesday. Photo | Zadock Amanyisa
What you need to know:
- The report revealed that about Shs110 million that were meant to facilitate PDM activities in Rwampara were allegedly misappropriated by civil servants led by the CAO and the Production Officer.
The Rwampara District Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Stephen Rubaihayo and District Production Officer, Mr Athanathias Gumisiriza have refunded the money that went missing and reportedly crippled the Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
The members of the public and a cross-section of civil servants complained about the misappropriation of funds, prompting the district security committee to launch investigations.
The security committee recommended a general inquiry by police and investigated the reported allegations.
The report revealed that about Shs110 million that were meant to facilitate PDM activities in Rwampara were allegedly misappropriated by civil servants led by the CAO and the Production Officer.
The two officials were arrested and held at Kinoni police station for more than two days before a technical advisor from the PDM secretariat and district stakeholders held a meeting and asked the implicated officials to make a commitment to refund the money and even correct the gaps that had been identified. They were accused of sabotaging the PDM program in the district.
The Rwampara Resident District Commissioner, Ms Jane Asiimwe Muhindo said Wednesday that the district leadership has embarked on a cleanup exercise in a bid to streamline the PDM program after it had been tainted by gross corruption by civil servants and their top leadership.
“I am happy to note that most of the commitments signed during the district stakeholders meeting have been honoUred. Today, Shs12 million that was meant to facilitate civil servants during PDM activities has been received by agriculture extension workers,” she said.
“We have managed to secure bank statements of all the 29 parish Saccos, got proper information on the Shs79 million money that was meant to facilitate staff, but was not used and later taken back to Kampala, and we have also made sure that the money that was solicited from the members of the public in Bugamba Sub County during group formation was also refunded,” she added.
The district leaders have also resolved to make schedules and move as a team to verify parish PDM Sacco leadership and also monitor other government programs like Operation Wealth Creation.
Mr Jotham Mwesigwa, the Rwampara district council speaker, told the Monitor that the PDM cleanup exercise will not only improve service delivery but also enhance public trust in the government.
Ms Jacklin Atuhaire, a resident of Mwizi Sub County said the move by leaders is an opportunity for the leadership in the new district to display their ability to safeguard the interests of the public.
