Henry Musasizi
The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Henry Ariganyira Musasizi has admitted that the government is struggling to trace the impact of Parish Development Model (PDM) program at grass root level across the country.
Launched by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in February 2022, the government-led initiative is aimed at improving service delivery and alleviating poverty at the grassroots level.
Each person in a formed group is given shillings 1 million shillings as capital to start income generating projects. But Musasizi while speaking during the official opening of Burimbe Catholic Church in Ikumba Sub County, Rubanda District says that government has failed to trace what beneficiaries have done despite receiving the money.
Citing Bushenyi district Musasizi says that the recent case study has revealed that beneficiaries used the money in non benefiting things.
“We are unable to trace results of first PDM beneficiaries. Like in Bushenyi, some of the beneficiaries used the money in non-benefiting things”. Musasizi also says that during the case study, some of the beneficiaries are ghost residents in Bushenyi district.
He also says that same mess has already been registered in Hamuhambo town council, Rubanda district where the money was given to residents of Kabale district. He also says that cases of extortion by Parish chiefs is stagnating progress of the program adding that security has started investigating all the issues.
“Imagine for someone to benefit from PDM, he first pays a shillings 100,000 bribe. “During the case study in Bushenyi, some beneficiaries were not known by locals at village and parish level. The issue was also registered in Rubanda district where some of the beneficiaries from Hamuhambo town council are residents of Kabale district. However, we have handed over the matter to security for investigations, if you are among those, you risk arrest,” he added.
Despite the arrest of several Sacco leaders and Civil servants responsible for disbursement of the money over corruption, the project still faces challenges like extortion and disbursing to wrong people like relatives.
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