By Spy Uganda
The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) have put the Minister of State for Kampala City and the management of Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) on the spot for the delayed release of funds meant for the Parish Development Model (PDM).
PDM is a government intervention model aimed at injecting money into parishes across the country to support wealth and employment.
According to a report of the Auditor General, KCCA received Shs1.5 billion for PDM but was ill-prepared and unable to utilize the funds.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi said this called for concern because KCCA received the money without a detailed budget or work plan spend the money.
“The absorption level of the funds by KCCA was 24.3 per cent leaving behind a significantly unutilized amount,” Ssenyonyi said adding, ‘Parliament needs to know what exactly happened and why were you not ready’.
Ssenyonyi also asked the team from KCCA to share details on exactly how the funds for PDM will be managed and distributed to their rightful beneficiaries.
Kawempe Division South Member of Parliament, Hon. Bashir Kazibwe extended his concerns with the distribution process of the funds based on utterances made by the Rubaga Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Anderson Burora that employees were working with members of the public to fraudulently distribute the money.
He wondered if KCCA had taken the necessary measures to tighten the gaps and make sure the funds go to the people that need them.
The Head of the Treasury Services Directorate at KCCA, Donny Kitabire said they did not receive proper guidelines on how to spend the money and therefore, had no choice but to halt the disbursement until they were ready.
“Of the money received, Shs1.1 billion was not spent because it was intended for SACCOs that had not yet been organized. The money was, therefore, sent back to the Consolidated Fund,” he said.
Museveni Warns
In his address to Parliament yesterday, President Yoweri Museveni put corrupt officials on notice over the Parish Development Model saying he will show no mercy to the corrupt.
“The wanainchi (locals) told me of parasites that were swarming around the Parish Development Model and Emyooga money; if anyone touches on the Emyooga money, I will deal with them decisively; these thieves are not very clever…and if you steal, we shall come and find out,” he said.
The President enumerated several discoveries he made on the PDM during a tour that took him to the Acholi sub-region and that by the end of his field visits across the country, he will have obtained the requisite information needed to set the lending arrangement on the sail.
He repeated his warning to officials he said are lurking around to dubiously misappropriate the Shs100 million per parish funds, saying he will handle them viciously.
“Do not worry; anybody who messes up, we shall mess them up as well,” he told MPs who gathered at the Kololo Independence grounds, where Parliament sat on Thursday 16 March 2022 to receive the special address.
