LAMWO, September 8, 2026 — More than Shs 13.1 billion disbursed to Lamwo district under the Parish Development Model [PDM] is still lying idle in bank accounts as newly elected Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation [ SACCO ] board members await training before they can handle the funds.
Ductus Joseph Ogiki, the Lamwo District PDM Focal Person, confirmed that government recently sent the money to the district for disbursement to beneficiary enterprise groups, but none of the funds has so far been released.
“The government recently sent over Shs 13.1 billion as a revolving fund for the Parish Development Model, and that money is not yet disbursed to groups,” Ogiki said.
He explained that the delay followed the recent election of new board members for PDM SACCOs across the district, making it difficult to entrust them with large sums of public money before they receive proper orientation.
According to Ogiki, the district deliberately halted the disbursement to first build the capacity of the new SACCO leadership.
“We wanted to train them first, and after training them, then we move around to ensure that they start releasing the money,” he said.
Ogiki assured beneficiaries that the funds were safe and remained in the bank pending disbursement.
“That money is still in the bank while waiting for disbursement to group members,” he said.
Lamwo has 86 parishes, each with a registered PDM SACCO operating an account with Pearl Bank. The district has so far received more than Shs 34.2 billion in PDM revolving funds, with each parish receiving more than Shs 401 million.
Ogiki said about Shs 21.3 billion of the funds had already been disbursed to beneficiary groups engaged in coffee, fish farming, dairy farming, crop farming, piggery, and poultry keeping among several others.
“21,356 households have already shared Shs 21.3 billion disbursed so far,” he said.
The Parish Development Model is a flagship government programme aimed at transitioning 39 percent of Uganda’s population from subsistence farming into the money economy. Under the programme, each parish receives Shs 100 million annually as a revolving fund, which is provided to beneficiaries as low-interest loans to support different enterprise groups.
Ogiki said training of the newly elected SACCO boards, vetting committees and loans committees was underway, and that disbursement of the Shs 13.1 billion was expected to begin by the end of September.
“We have newly elected board members. We wanted to train them first, and after training them, then we move around to ensure that they start releasing the money,” he reiterated.
He added that the use of WENDI mobile money and the Integrated Financial Management Information System [IFMIS] had improved transparency and reduced the risk of misuse of funds, as beneficiaries no longer have to travel to Kitgum to collect cash.
The PDM focal person urged beneficiaries to remain patient as the district completes the orientation of the new SACCO leaders, saying the process was necessary to strengthen accountability and ensure proper management of public funds.
https://thecooperator.news/handouts-cripple-refugees-sacco-in-lamwo/
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