Museveni hounds MPs, leaders over theft of PDM cash

President Museveni has blamed elected leaders, including MPs and local councilors, for failing to ensure proper management of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.

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

The President was on a three-day trip to assess the PDM’s performance in Bukedi sub-region which ended yesterday.

“Why is our PDM money being stolen by officials when we have LC1 and 111? The LC111 are paid and they have motorbikes and the MPs are overpaid but I wonder why PDM funds are being stolen,” he said.

Mr Museveni said the local council system was set up to allow communities to elect representatives who would advocate for their needs and prioritize accountability after realizing that officials were corrupt and disloyal to the ruling government .

“The problem is that many Ugandans do not listen to my advice, abuse their power and do not elect good leaders. They don’t follow up even after the election and ask them where their money is and why it is being stolen,” Museveni said.

The government is struggling to address irregularities in the implementation of the PDM, a multi-billion dollar government project aimed at lifting 17.5 million Ugandans out of poverty. President Museveni launched the program on February 26, 2022 at the Kibuku District Headquarters.

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

The irregularities and corruption are also responsible for the low disbursement of PDM funds in Bugisu and other sub-regions.

An evaluation report presented to district heads at the Bulambuli district headquarters in September showed about 28.7 percent progress in implementing the program in 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 has a payout performance of 20 percent and Mbale City with 58 PDM Saccos has a payout performance of 5 percent.

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

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

For example, she said that in Ngora district, the chief administrative officer, the chief financial officer, the district commercial officer, the district planner, the community development officer and the production officer were arrested.

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

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

He visited the farms of Mrs. Florence Nabutono, who deals in pig and poultry farming in Kibuku district, and Mr. Patrick Keddi; a poultry farmer in Katakwi village, and Mr Nimrod Mulonde, who deals in fish, livestock and crops in Budaka district.

Ritah Namuwenge, PDM Eastern Uganda Adviser and Emyooga National Coordinator, has in the past said corruption was the main reason for low disbursement of PDM and Emyooga funds in the country. “We will fight corruption by encouraging the public to participate in PDM and Emyooga because they are panaceas for poverty alleviation,” she said.