PDM: Sironko LC III Chairpersons Decry Extortion

Local council three-LC III chairpersons in Sironko district have raised concerns about their parish chiefs allegedly extorting money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program before registering them. The chairpersons raised their concerns at a consultative meeting chaired by Isaiah Sasaga, the Budadiri East Member of Parliament at St. Catherine Vocational Institute on Thursday.

 

They claimed that they had received complaints from beneficiaries across different parishes in the district indicating that they were asked to pay between Shillings 10,000 and 50,000 per person before registration. The parish chiefs allegedly claimed that the payments were for buying data to run the internet, while others claimed the money was for purchasing laptops for their use.

 

Hebert Magomu, the LCIII chairperson of Buhugu Sub County, expressed concerns about the potential negative impact of these extortion practices on the PDM program. Patrick Wamugoda, LC III Chairperson of Busita Sub County, and his Namaguli Sub County counterpart, Haruna Gaboba called upon district leaders to intervene in response to these allegations. 

They stressed the need to take action against the alleged misconduct of parish chiefs since their actions are illegal. The chairpersons also criticized the central government for not involving local leaders in the monitoring of the PDM program at the parish level.   

Lumasaba Audio

//Cue in: “Ela biliwo’’..................  

Cue out ......................’’Bimamba khu PDM,’’//

Lydia Gimono, the Sironko district LC V vice-chairperson, pledged to engage with PDM district officials and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to investigate these allegations thoroughly before determining the appropriate course of action. 

Denis Ephraime Balwaniregha, the Sironko Resident District Commissioner, urged the LCIIIs to report such cases to his office so that the errant parish chiefs could be arrested, as their actions are in violation of the law.

Isaiah Sasaga Wanzira, the Member of Parliament representing Budadiri East constituency in Sironko district, condemned the alleged actions of the parish chiefs. He urged district leaders to take swift and appropriate measures to ensure that these activities do not undermine the government's PDM program.

Lumasaba Audio   

//Cue in ‘’Barimbisile bukodyo...................   

Cue out .................’’sibili bilayi taa,’’//  

Julius Kapwepwe, who represented the National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model, Zozi Galabusi, during a media briefing at Mount Elgon Hotel in Mbale city, called upon district leaders to take disciplinary action against any parish chiefs found extorting money from PDM beneficiaries. He emphasized that the PDM program is intended to be free of such financial burdens on beneficiaries.