Residents of Labor Sub County in Serere district have accused the Parish Development Committees for sidelining them in the delivery of Parish Development Model (PDM) cash.
The residents said that while they are registered in Savings and Credit Association (SACCOs) as eligible members, the committees often consider people who are already established, leaving the poorest that PDM seeks to uplift from poverty.
The PDM program is being touted as the path to bringing the poverty level down to the third national development plan’s target of 18.5%, and income inequality to 0.37. The program launched in 2022 envisages closing a wide income gap between the poor and the rich by strategizing service delivery and poverty alleviation at the grassroots level.
Hellen Grace Anuso, a resident says that the committees have deliberately devised means of frustrating people seeking PDM cash. Anuso says that that sometimes, the committeees ask for money which they can’t afford.
David Otaala, another resident, says that besides sidelining the poorest among the community members, the commiittees allegedlly consider beneficiaries based on their party affiliations.
Hellen Adoa Abeku, the State Minister for Fisheries also observed that the PDM cash was going to selective people in the community especially those who are able to bribe. She asked the district to continue with close monitoring of the PDM program.
Richard Ssajjabi Bukone, the Serere Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) says that while the selection of beneficiaries is done by the commiittees, people with grievances should register their complaints with the relevant authorities. He, however, noted that 52 beneficiaries out of the 70 SACCOs registered in the district have been fully paid.
Serere received UGX. 7.6 billion for PDM last financial year.
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