Thirteen individuals have been arrested over alleged theft and misappropriation of funds meant for the Parish Development Model (PDM), according to Kituuma Rusoke, the police spokesperson.
The arrests follow President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directive to ensure strict measures against those accused of embezzling funds from the PDM and Emyooga programs.
During a recent tour in the Teso sub-region, President Museveni emphasized the need to protect these funds, warning Regional Police Commanders (RPCs) against granting police bonds to such suspects.
“No more police bonds for anyone who has stolen PDM or Emyooga money. If you give a police bond, I will ‘bond’ you myself,” Museveni warned.
He further underscored the importance of the programs, stating, “PDM and Emyooga funds are critical to Uganda’s development and must be protected at all costs. No one should play games with this money. We are transforming lives, and we won’t allow anyone to derail that mission.”
Arrests Across Districts
Addressing the media on Monday at police headquarters, Kituuma confirmed that the 13 suspects were apprehended in the districts of Serere, Amudat, and Moroto.
“In the financial year 2022/23, PDM funds were disbursed to two SACCOs in Serere. During inspections, irregularities were uncovered, prompting police to apprehend eight suspects for further investigations,” Kituuma revealed.
The suspects from Serere include LCIII Chairperson Eruru Sam, parish chief Ogwang James, and other individuals identified as Okong James, Oima Michael, Opeke James, Simon, Bosco, and beneficiary Okowu Julius.
Irregularities Uncovered
Preliminary investigations indicate widespread anomalies, including the misuse of national IDs without the owners’ knowledge, funds allocated to ineligible individuals, civil servants benefiting contrary to regulations, and multiple family members receiving funds despite a one-beneficiary-per-family policy.
In Amudat, police discovered that parish chiefs had manipulated beneficiary lists, deleting deserving names and replacing them with ineligible individuals. This led to the arrest of four suspects.
Additionally, an incident involving the exploitation of an 84-year-old woman was reported. Police allege that Joyce, a treasurer, took advantage of the victim by using her SIM card to access PDM funds. Out of UGX 1,000,000 disbursed, the victim received only UGX 100,000, with the rest allegedly pocketed by Joyce. The suspect has since been arraigned in court and remanded.
Implementation Challenges
Government programs like the Parish Development Model, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), and Emyooga are designed to uplift Ugandans into the money economy. However, their implementation has faced numerous hurdles, including corruption and mismanagement, hindering their intended impact on beneficiaries.
As investigations continue, police have reaffirmed their commitment to holding accountable those who abuse these critical development funds.
