MP Kiyaga skeptical of PDM funding

MBARARA – Mawokota North Member of Parliament, Hillary Kiyaga is doubtful government has enough funds to run the Parish development Model Programme [PDM].

During an exclusive interview with this reporter days ago, Kiyaga claimed President Yoweri Museveni was ill-advised to initiate the PDM when a number of similar poverty alleviation programmes in the country like Entandikwa, Bonabagagaware [Prosperity for All] had earlier failed.

“I want to say that with the PDM, the president [Museveni] was ill-advised. As a country, we needed more time to learn from the past mistakes that led to the failure of other programmes before bringing the PDM,” Kiyaga noted.

The legislator claimed that the current scenario where government is holding on to the funds of the PDM SACCOs is intentional; adding that it shows government does not have enough money to disburse to all the parishes at once.

Government plans to provide Shs 100 million to each of the 10,594 parishes every financial year. The programme, whose funding began in the 2022/2023 financial year, will run for five years.

“Money redundantly is sitting on the beneficiaries’ accounts because of the pilot model approach they have introduced is a delaying tactic for government to realise more funds and it is not what we advocated for in parliament,” he said.

He said the programme should not receive more funding, alleging that it will be a waste of the taxpayers’ money.

“As the economy stands, we cannot facilitate that programme anymore, the country is broke, and the treasury is burdened because the PDM is becoming too expensive to implement,” Kiyaga said.

While delivering his special to parliament on PDM on Thursday, President Museveni warned to deal with whoever wrongly tampers with PDM funds.

“I am very proud that NRM delivered the money, where is it? Those who eat that money, it is toxic and they will get problems with it,” Museveni said.

“Shs 131 billion is not properly accounted for because each parish was supposed to get 17 million but according to what the speaker sent me some got Shs 7 million and others got Shs 10 million. So where did the other money go?” Museveni asked.

He said that PDM funds would remain on the SACCO accounts until the beneficiaries are ready.

“In my view, if the money is not used this year in the right way let us keep it, let us not panic, the issue is not to spend the money, the issue is to spend the money correctly. If they are not ready, let’s keep it. Don’t divert it so that the fund builds up,” he said.

Museveni added that the PDM is intended to link the farmers to national, regional and international markets.

“The PDM must work, the Emyooga must. Work,” Museveni said, adding that the PDM SACCOs that were ready received Shs 25 mln each on their bank accounts amounting to Shs 238.45 bln.

“Much of the money is still on their [PDM SACCO] accounts. Another Shs 476.9 bln is at the treasury waiting to be sent once the original portion has been utilised, by June 2023. Shs 1 trillion will be sent,” said Museveni.

He said that with Emyooga, Shs 200 bln has been sent for the last two financial years.

https://thecooperator.news/museveni-warns-officials-against-mismanaging-pdm-money/

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