The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Bushenyi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Three people have been arrested on allegations of extorting money from the Beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model in Bushenyi district.
Those arrested include Twiine Ntegye, the LC II chairperson of Ntungamo Ward, Nyakabirizi Division in Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality, Arthur Twijukye, the Sacco treasurer of Ntungamo Ward Sacco and Donam Nahabwe, the Sacco publicist.
The three were arrested on Saturday during an emergency meeting convened to calm the people who wanted to protest against the leaders of Ntungamo Ward SACCO. The members accused their leaders of asking for 5,000 Shillings from each file claiming it was for buying refreshments and 50,000 Shillings to have their files stamped.
During the meeting, Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner, Robert Atuhairwe stated that his office is investigating several Parish Chiefs and LC II chairpersons for engaging in extortion and bribery and these will face the long arm of the law.
Atuhairwe said that the program has specific guidelines that must be adhered to and that all the services offered come at no cost to the beneficiaries.
Nyasio Biryomumaisho the Chairperson LC III Nyakabirizi Division said it was made mandatory for everyone to pay either 20,000 or 50,000 in order to complete the process of registration and failure to do so one would be excluded.
The parish Developement Model is the government’s bottom-up approach to budgeting, aimed at moving national development planning to the grassroots. The initiative empowers leaders at the parish level to identify and assign resources for their own social needs, in order to tilt development in their favour. The overall aim, according to the plan, is to deepen the decentralisation process, improve household incomes, and increase accountability at local levels.
A total of 1.7 billion Shillings has so far been sent to Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality to be distributed among 16 different wards under the Parish Development Model program.
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Surely communities should be told the truth, how possible can PDM come to a village beneficiary at totally free cost, on ground one is required to apply in a standard form, is required to operate a bank account in a commercial institution, is needed to have a TIN, all requirements above require money and RDC tells us it is extortion? Why. Not bring cash to village and hand distribute