Raphael Magyezi, the minister of local government, has been asked to address complaints regarding the Parish Development Model’s implementation before the legislature (PDM).
In order to move 39% of households from a subsistence economy to a money economy and as a wealth creation program at the lowest economic planning unit, , the Parish Development Model (PDM) was introduced for the fiscal year 2020–2021.
The model is built upon seven pillars, including the development of the agricultural value chain, infrastructure and economic services, financial inclusion, social services, community mobilization and mindset change, parish-based management information system, governance and administration, and social services.
However financial inclusion, one of the program’s foundations, has limitations, as noted by parliamentarians. For instance, Laura Kanushu, one of the PWD representatives, claimed that the 10% money set aside for PWDs at the parish level has not been implemented and that many PWDs have been prevented from establishing their own SACCOs.
In a similar vein, Northern Uganda Youth MP Boniface Okot said that numerous youths around the nation had been instructed to join SACCOs that already existed rather than starting their own. In accordance with the PDM standards, he continued, youth leaders are not included in the SACCOs’ leadership.
“According to the rules, the Parish Youth Council Chairperson ought to be a member of the committee. Yet, we have noticed that several youth leaders have been demoted,” added Okot, who also urged the translation of the PDM rules into regional languages to facilitate information transmission.
According to Toroma County MP Joseph Koluo, the funds that have been distributed to SACCOs are not reaching their intended beneficiaries. He explained that despite the fact that documentation show there is money in the chosen bank accounts, once organizations attempt to withdraw the money, they find absolutely nothing.
Caroline Kamusiime, a member of parliament from Rukiga, also requested for money to help Parish Chiefs carry out their responsibility of gauging the program’s progress. She claimed that despite not receiving funding for sensitization efforts, parish heads in Rukiga did not yet have the public’s support for the approach.
The newly established parishes have not benefited from funds under the new scheme, according to Butambala Women MP Aisha Kabanda, who cited a mismatch between the Election Commission and Local Government. Kabanda claims that even though the new parishes were made into electoral districts, the Ministries of Finance and Local Government failed to take them into account when awarding funds.
Based on these concerns, the Minister was instructed by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, to deliver a report on the many observations and suggestions made by lawmakers on Thursday while the house continued to discuss the various regional oversight reports on the new program.
“I need you to compile all the reports, read the observations, and consider the suggestions. The Deputy Speaker commanded, “Give us a comment on the cross-cutting issues and highlight those that are specific to particular sectors.
The Parish Development Model (PDM) faces a number of obstacles, including incomplete baseline data, implementing entities lacking the resources to carry out the start-up activities, and the diversion of 17.5 billion, 594.7 million Shillings in five Local Governments, among others, which Auditor General John Muwanga outlined in his most recent report.
Muwanga advised the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance to make sure all PDM funds that have been disbursed are fully accounted for. He also advised accounting officers to revoke the appointment letters of any parish chiefs who were appointed inadvertently and recover any money that had been paid.
The Auditor General did point out that the government has made some progress toward implementing PDM, including creating a National Policy Committee to provide strategic direction for the program, establishing a working PDM Secretariat, making the program widely known across the country, and issuing implementation guidelines.