Police summon three PDM officials over alleged extortion

Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police in Hoima have summoned three Parish Development Model-PDM officials in Nyakabingo parish, Buseruka sub-county to record statements regarding the extortion of funds.

Those summoned are Pier Owurunga, the Nyakabingo parish LCII Chairperson, Seraji Bedijo, the PDM Chairperson for Nyakabingo parish and Martin Sunday, a member of Chongambe village PDM group.

They are being accused of extorting 100,000 Shillings from each person intending to benefit from the parish Development Model-PDM in Nyakabingo parish.

Trouble for the officials follows complaints from residents of Karanwang village in Nyakabingo parish, Buseruka sub-county in Hoima district who petitioned the office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for missing out on the PDM program.

The residents accused the parish development model (PDM) officials of allegedly collecting 100,000 shillings from each of them.

In their petition dated July 9, 2023, signed by the village Vice Chairperson Venansio Opio, the residents noted that even after paying the money, none of them was considered and put into the system.

They argued that instead other people who had paid more amounts of money were considered to benefit from the PDM.    The residents demanded the office of the RDC to immediately prevail over the officials for the situation to come under control.

Seraji Bedijo, one of the accused persons confirmed receipt of the summons.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson has confirmed that the trio has been summoned to record statements but declined to divulge more details.

Several implementers of the parish Development model ( PDM)  in the Bunyoro region are under the spotlight for alleged extortion.

The situation has prompted officials in the district to halt the disbursement of 5.5 billion Shillings under the Program.

This followed complaints of extortion against parish chiefs, and some other leaders in the district about the management and utilization of these funds in the Hoima district.

Last month, two people were arrested for allegedly extorting money from the beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model-PDM in Masindi district.

The suspects were identified as John Ayesiga, the Chairperson of Tukole Hamu PDM Group in Muramura Village, and Edward Irumba, the LC1 Chairperson for Muramura Village in Kitamba parish in Bwijanga sub-county.

They were accused of extorting 200,000 Shillings from each PDM beneficiaries in the area.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni launched the Parish Development Model (PDM), in Kibuku District in February 2022.

It is hoped that the intervention will stimulate job creation and fight unemployment among Ugandans.

The PDM pillars include financial inclusion, infrastructure, and economic services, agricultural value chain development, parish-based management information systems, social services, community mobilization, mindset change, governance, and administration.

It is supposed to be a Parish revolving fund whose beneficiaries will get low-cost loans for investment in income generation.

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