The Parish Development Model (PDM) has allegedly been neglected and sabotaged by Parish Chiefs in the Kwania District.
PDM, a government initiative introduced by President Yoweri Museveni in February 2022, aims to use income-generating initiatives to move 3.5 million Ugandan households out of poverty and into the economy within five years.
Each of the nation’s 10,594 parishes will get an amount of sh100 million.
To monitor the implementation of PDM in the region, the District Service Commission organized a huge recruitment in February of last year that resulted in the hiring of more than 15 new parish leaders by the Kwania District Local Government.
On Tuesday, October 3, some citizens voiced their concerns during the verification of the legitimate PDM recipients in the Atongtidi sub-county, blaming the parish chiefs of neglect, stealing from the beneficiaries, and incompetence.
Leo Adelo, a local of Anywargiki hamlet in Atongtidi sub-county’s Iwal Parish, criticized the recruitment process.
“The parish chief recruiting process did not go smoothly. Before appointment letters are given to the chosen candidates and they are subsequently sent to their assigned duty stations, we must conduct a comprehensive audit of the recruitment process, the official stated.
I don’t even know my parish leader, claimed Lillian Akello, a PDM recipient from Acwao Parish in Nambieso Sub-County. Most of the SACCOS members have not benefited from the PDM funds because the person who was transferred here left six months ago, according to what I’ve been told about him.
Aornga and Bung in Nambieso sub-county, Iwal and Acenlworo in Atongtidi sub-county, and Ajar and Apolika in Chawente sub-county are a few of the parishes with concerns.
Acenlworo’s parish chief, Jimmy Odongo, refuted the accusations. “In my parish, I don’t have any issues. Personally, I’ve been residing at the station since 2021, when I moved here after being relocated from Atongtidi. The only issue is administrative expenses, he claimed.
By the time of publication, David Wasikye Wamburu, the Kwania Chief Administrative Officer, was unavailable for comment.
However, Geoffrey Alex Ogwal Adyebo, the chairman of the Kwania district, acknowledged receiving complaints about parish chiefs evading their obligations and promised to take action.
It’s true that some parish heads don’t live in the parishes where they serve as leaders. In reality, the bulk of them lack files with data of PDM beneficiaries and other information. We are depending on the group Chairpersons’ records,” he stated.
Adyebo added, “I know there are processes to manage them, therefore I am going to write to the chief administrative officer to take action.
The Kwania Resident District Commissioner, Richard Noon Arikwanga, promised to follow up on the situation and see that the incompetent police are dealt with.
