Summary: The monitoring process has begun from Luwero district and will be extended to the other parts of the country.
It is alleged that some parish chiefs extort money from the beneficiaries; and they remove names of the right beneficiaries from the system and replace them with the names of those who bribed them which hinders the success of the PDM program.
East African Gazette
Luwero
Uganda’s President, Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, is conducting a monitoring process to eliminate system irregularities related to the Government’s Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.
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Senior Presidential Advisor Moses Byaruhanga, revealed the information during the monitoring process at Bunnya Foundation Primary School in Luwero Town Council. On April 29, 2024.
Byaruhanga, while addressing the congregation, stated that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government has initiated various programs for Ugandans, some of which have faced challenges.
He noted that in January, 1997, the government introduced the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and the Universal Secondary Education (USE) was introduced.
“Here the beneficiaries began to complain about the fees charged by the school heads. When we interrogated the school heads, they replied that they don’t have enough teachers, so they outsourced some teachers who are paid using the money which is received from parents. However, the government is still investigating the matter,” he noted.
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He also added that the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) was created in 2001 to address constraints of lack of access to agricultural information, knowledge and improved technology among rural poor farmers in the country, but the program reached a few people.
“And on the 26th February, 2022, PDM was initiated by the President as a strategy to improve service delivery and alleviate poverty at the grassroots level. However, there are some challenges which need to be ironed out,” Byaruhanga noted.
He further revealed that the President had appointed Hajjat Mariam Namayanja Kiwanuka as a Special Presidential Assistant to monitor PDM funds.
Byaruhanga also clarified that the maximum amount of PDM money to a beneficiary is Uganda shs1,000,000million which is payable within two years.
He explained that the money doesn’t go back to the government, but remains in the Parish SACCO.
On people who squander government resources, Byaruhanga assured that the culprits will be arrested and dealt with according to the laws that govern the country.
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Mariam Namayanja a Special Presidenti in Luwero town
The warning came after the Luwero Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Richard Bwabye’s concern about the misconduct of some government officials involved in soliciting PDM money from beneficiaries.
Bwabye also revealed that he had recovered a total of Uganda shs61,000,000 million and was still hunting for more culprits to be arrested and charged accordingly.
On the issue of money lenders collecting National Identity Cards from borrowers as collateral, Byaruhanga gave an instruction to the RDC to ensure that the money lenders return the IDs to the owners because its is a government property.
He added that the President instructed the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka to institute a law deterring money lenders from using National IDs as a collateral security.
On the other hand, Byaruhanga urged Luwero politicians to cooperate with the residents in order to deal with the rampant land wrangles in the area.
During the event Josephus Walulya Mukasa, the PDM coordinator in Luwero sub county revealed that they have a total of 1,156 beneficiaries; 551 males and 605 females.
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He said the beneficiaries have prioritised the agricultural sector such as growing maize, beans, vegetables, coffee, Matooke and rearing cattle, chicken, pigs, and goats.
Walulya also noted that 70% of PDM money has been well utilised in the sub county whereas the remaining 30% of the money has issues where the beneficiaries directed it to other things like paying school fees for their children.
Hajjat Mariam Namayanja Kiwanuka, the Special Assistant to the President explained to the congregation her role as the officer responsible for monitoring PDM funds across the country.
She explained that her role is to register names of all PDM beneficiaries, the amount of money they received, how they are using the money, the challenges they face, and thereafter, the President will intervene accordingly.
Namayanja also said the monitoring process has begun from Luwero district and will be extended to the other parts of the country.
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The LCIII Chairperson for Luwero sub county, Richard Ssimbwa, complained about the parish chiefs who extorted money from the beneficiaries. He narrated that the parish chiefs remove names of the right beneficiaries from the system and replace them with the names of those who bribed them which hinders the success of the PDM program.
He went on to commend the President for initiating the program and also appointing Hajjat Namayanja to monitor the program.
The NRM Chairperson for Luwero district, Ronald Ndawula appreciated the government for introducing the PDM, a project aimed at alleviating poverty among Ugandans.
He also told the residents that now that they stay in a peaceful country, they should vote well next time.
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