Namayingo Central Ward Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCO chairman, Juma Waguma has been arrested and detained at CPS Namayingo over PDM mismanagement.
His arrest follows allegations of extorting money from the beneficiaries of the government programme aimed at fighting household poverty.
It is alleged that he has been soliciting UShs 30,000 from each member of his SACCO in order to consider their names on the list of those who should qualify for the PDM money.
According to the PDM guidelines, the SACCO executive committee plays an oversight role towards the implementation of support provided to enterprise groups by various state and non-state actors.
Waguma’s arrest arose from the Wednesday July 26, 2023 evening meeting held in the Namayingo District Deputy RDC’s office where he failed to account for funds he solicited from beneficiaries of PDM.
Upon interrogation by security heads led by DRDC, DISO Moses Nzira and Namayingo Town Council technocrats, Waguma who was not remorseful failed to convince the authorities about the allegations against him which prompted the Deputy RDC, Trevor Solomon Baleke to order for his arrest.
After almost three hours of grilling, Waguma confessed to have solicited for ‘transport’ from some members of his sacco.
It was established that Waguma had picked at least 30,000 from about 20 members.
“Soliciting money from the vulnerable is suicidal. It is sabotage of a government program aimed at uplifting the livelihoods of our people, ” said Baleke, adding that the office of RDC shall not tolerate anyone who sabotages PDM and other government programs.
“We also have intelligence about some Subcounty chiefs who are asking groups to give them money such that their records are handled expeditiously into the PDM system to access money,” he said.
The PDM launched in February 2022, is an initiative run under the Ministry of Local Government with the aim to get about 3.5 million households out of the subsistence status to the money economy through financial inclusion which is pillar 3 of the PDM.
The program has however faced several challenges including mismanagement by some errant officials.
During a recent RDCs’ Retreat in Jinja which was attended by RDCs, their Deputies, DISO and RISOs across Busoga subregion, the Minister for Presidency Hon. Milly Babalanda asked the district chief monitors government programs to ensure PDM is a success in their respective districts.
