Soroti RCC warns PDM SACCO leaders over corruption

SOROTI, November 29, 2023 – The Resident City Commissioner, Soroti, Peter Pex Paak has warned leaders PDM SACCOs against engaging in corruption.

The Parish Development Model [PDM] was launched in February 2022 by President Yoweri Museveni to help 3.5 million poor households in Uganda engage in income-generating activities so that they can be able to move into the money economy.

Shs 100mln is earmarked for each parish in the country every financial year, with 30 percent going to women, 30 percent to youth, 10 percent to people with disabilities [PWDs], 10 percent to the elderly, while  20 percent goes to the general community and men.

RDC Paak in an interview with reporter said some of the executive SACCO leaders in the city have decided to reward themselves with Shs 1mln on top of favouring their  relatives.

Under the PDM guidelines, each beneficiary is supposed to receive Shs 1mln to fund selected enterprises such as coffee, dairy farming, piggery, fruit growing, among several others.

The RDC noted that in Kichinjaji ward, Northern, they were able to arrest six members who illegally registered their wives and children to benefit from the PDM, leaving out vulnerable people.

“These members decided to reward themselves but this must stop, we shall deal with you,” he said.

Paak urged the public to be vigilant and report to the authorities corrupt SACCO leaders who solicit bribes from the beneficiaries, adding that he would continue with the operation in other wards to catch those frustrating the implementation of the PDM.

Joel Okolimong, a resident of Kichjanji ward said the SACCO executive leaders ask for money and if denied, they do not register the people supposed to benefit from the PDM.

Okolimong said some of the SACCO leaders in Soroti City should be knocked out of the committees, adding that they are a disgrace to the community.

“They register themselves, and then they also fix their relatives and yet the programme states clearly that one person per household is supposed to benefit,” he said.

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