Story by Osuta Yusuf.
The Parish Development Model (PDM) in Awindiri Ward, Central Division in Arua City has been entangled in scandals involving ghost SACCO members and corruption allegations.
Complaints from PDM beneficiaries were raised during a meeting held in Awindiri Ward on Saturday, July 6, 2024. The beneficiaries accused PDM officials in the ward of soliciting bribes of 50,000 Shs each before enrolling and verifying them into the SACCO groups to benefit from the program.
Night Zainabu Asirafu, a Parish Development Committee (PDC) member for Awindiri Ward, stated that PDM officials often sideline her during the verification of SACCO group members, resulting in irregularities in her ward.
Following incidents where some women called politicians to complain about the bribes requested by PDM officials, Rt Hon Osuga Rasul, the speaker for Central Division Arua City Council, castigated the PDM SACCO members for their fear of exposing the culprits, fearing they would be removed from the PDM program.
Acema Brian, a former PDC official who verified the groups in Awindiri Ward, confessed that there was indeed a ghost group, which was deleted from the list of PDM beneficiaries upon discovery.
Hon. Muzaid Khemis, Mayor for Central Division Arua City, cautioned the PDM officials to be very careful, stating that he had information about their corrupt tendencies. He advised all stakeholders involved in the PDM program to allow each to perform their duties.
Eng. Anguyo Muhammad, Parish Development Model Board of Governors Chairman for Awindiri Ward, responded to the allegations, describing them as baseless and fabricated lies aimed at tarnishing his name.
Dr. Taban Luke, Arua City’s focal point person for PDM, informed the people in Awindiri Ward about a new development in the PDM program, which involves subjecting all the PDM SACCO groups to an audit.
Mr. Ezama Ham Mizamil, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Central Division Arua City, advised the PDM officials to control their appetite for corruption.
Despite these challenges, according to information obtained from the PDM focal point person, Arua City remains the best-performing city in PDM across all cities in Uganda.