Residents of Kakunyu parish in Bukoto sub-county, Masaka district, Uganda, have expressed concerns over the alleged extortion, corruption, and irregularities in the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM). The PDM is a government program aimed at lifting households out of poverty. During a recent open community baraza, residents alleged that some Sacco leaders demand money from prospective beneficiaries before allowing them to access or benefit from the program.
The residents also raised concerns over alleged corruption in the identification and selection of PDM beneficiaries, calling for greater transparency in the management and distribution of government funds. Reports presented during the meeting indicated that more than one person from the same household had allegedly bribed their way onto the list of beneficiaries. This included instances where both spouses from the same household were listed as beneficiaries.
Minister of State for Local Government, Justine Nameere Nsubuga, convened the community baraza to address the concerns. She urged parish Sacco leaders to uphold transparency and ensure that beneficiary selection is conducted in accordance with established PDM guidelines, without favoring, extortion, or other practices that could undermine the program.
Nsubuga encouraged community members to remain vigilant and report cases of corruption, extortion, and other irregularities. She emphasized that community feedback was critical to strengthening accountability and ensuring that government programs achieve their intended purpose.
The concerns raised in Masaka district are not isolated. President Yoweri Museveni had previously tasked cabinet ministers with rooting out corruption in PDM in their respective constituencies. Museveni warned that corruption reported in a minister's constituency would be held against the minister personally.
The PDM was established in 2022 to improve household incomes and livelihoods, particularly in rural areas. The program targets each eligible household with up to Shs 1 million in financing, with the broader objective of enabling beneficiaries to build sustainable income-generating activities.
However, like several previous government poverty-alleviation programs, PDM has faced allegations of corruption, mismanagement, bribery, and favoring. These concerns raise questions about whether funds are reaching their intended beneficiaries, and whether the program will achieve its objectives.
Key points
- The PDM program aims to provide financing to eligible households to improve their incomes and livelihoods.
- Residents of Kakunyu parish have alleged extortion and corruption in the implementation of the PDM program.
- The government has tasked ministers with rooting out corruption in PDM in their respective constituencies.
