GULU, October 15, 2025 – Government, through the Uganda Communications Commission [UCC], has distributed 243 tablet devices, each accompanied by a 10W solar panel and charger, to secretaries of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations [SACCOs] under the Parish Development Model [PDM] across the Acholi Sub-region.
The initiative aims to boost efficiency in data collection and quick transfer of the PDM funds to the beneficiaries, as the government continues its push towards digitalising service delivery.
Launched in 2022, the PDM is a flagship government programme intended to transition subsistence households into the money economy through agriculture, enterprise development, and financial inclusion. Each parish is now receiving two tablets to aid the digital tracking of fund utilisation and reporting.
In Gulu District, Phoebe Joyce Aber, Secretary of Pawel-Patiko PDM SACCO in Patiko Subcounty, said the new devices will ease the burden of reporting, which previously required borrowing smartphones.
“The tablets will enable us to report to our Community Development Officer in real time. Previously, we struggled due to poor quality phones and poor network access,” Aber said.
She also called for capacity-building training for beneficiaries, many of whom are unfamiliar with the new devices.
Openy Santo Aboyi, General Secretary of Kitenge-Owalo PDM SACCO in Owalo Subcounty, said the tablets would improve digital record-keeping and reduce reliance on manual documentation. His SACCO comprises 18 groups with 307 members, all of whom have received PDM funds totalling Shs 307 million.
He noted that the adoption of the Wendi mobile money platform has streamlined fund disbursement directly into SACCO accounts, reducing the need for physical bank visits. However, he appealed for similar devices to be distributed to enterprise group leaders to further simplify data entry and registration processes.
In Laroo-Pece Division, Erick Okot of Laliya Ward PDM SACCO, which has 720 registered members, said the tablets would accelerate digital reporting and reduce the personal costs previously incurred when using borrowed smartphones. Around 300 members of the SACCO have received funding, with another 420 expected to benefit in the next phase.
Betty Mego Layika Alal, Treasurer of Kasubi Ward PDM SACCO in Bardege-Layibi Division, said that limited access to smartphones had hindered the registration process.
“This tablet distribution will help centralise and streamline our work,” she noted.
Local leaders, including Gulu District Councillor Michael Komakech, welcomed the digitalisation drive but urged government to invest in rural electrification and improve internet connectivity to support the rollout of the tablets expected to improve the performace of the PDM initiative.
He also warned beneficiaries against misusing the devices for personal entertainment or resale, emphasising that they are strictly for official use.
Gulu District PDM Focal Point Person Alfred Ocan confirmed that each parish in the district had received two tablets and approximately Shs 307 million in funds. He said that over Shs 14 billion is currently circulating among households in the district.
He noted that while most payments have been completed, some are pending due to technical issues such as inactive Wendi accounts or missing National IDs.
“We have utilised about 95 percent of the funds so far and are working hard to ensure that all beneficiaries receive their money,” Ocan said.
He also reminded recipients of the PDM guidelines, stating that funds are to be used for two years, after which repayment must begin.
“By the third year, beneficiaries are expected to have cleared all the money,” he said, urging early beneficiaries to begin repayments to allow others to access the revolving funds.
Since its inception in the 2021/2022 financial year, the PDM has received a total allocation of Shs 5.865 trillion, with the largest share of Shs 2.4 trillion disbursed in the 2024/2025 financial year.
The tablets were distributed across five Acholi West districts: Gulu District [47], Omoro [62], Nwoya [44], Gulu City [32], and Amuru [58], totalling 243 devices.
https://thecooperator.news/oyam-disburses-shs-15bln-to-pdm-beneficiaries/
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