The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kapelebyong, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kapelebyong District Local Government is unable to commence implementation of the Parish Development Model due to the absence of the required parish chiefs in the district and as such, nearly a billion shillings is lying idle.
The district is stuck with UGX. 973 million meant for Parish Development Model program. The money was sent to the district this financial year for operationalization of the program.
According to Angella Akurut, the Kapelebyong Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, the district has a gap of 22 parish chiefs and town agents out of the 55 parishes in the district. She adds that the district has a wage gap of UGX. 118 million to be able to conduct recruitment of staff.
Government rolled out the implementation of the Parish Development Model, the latest attempt to turn around service delivery and alleviation of poverty at the grassroots. The Parish Model program envisages planning and executing development activities at parishes, the lowest unit of planning and development in the country.
The initiative has seven pillars including production, infrastructure and economic services, financial inclusion and social services. The others are community data (Community Information System), governance and administration, and mindset change.
Francis Akorikin, Kapelebyong district chairperson says it’s a big concern to his leadership but notes that the recruitment of parish chiefs will be done by December.
The Parish Development Model initiative aims at springing nearly 39 percent of households from subsistence economy to commercial production.
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