The Parish Development Model Secretariat at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development has rejected the applications of more than 3,000 individuals who registered for funds under the program in Kisoro district.
Kisoro became the second district in the Kigezi Sub-region to implement the program and officially launched the disbursement of funds on May 31, 2023.
During the first round, only 31 people from specific wards and municipalities received the funds, leaving many disappointed according to Hajji Shafiq Ssekandi, Kisoro Resident District Commissioner.
Ssekandi attributes the rejection of applications to errors made by Parish Chiefs and town agents who failed to adhere to PDM guidelines, neglecting the verification process.
Ssekandi adds that currently, 4 billion Ugandan shillings remain unused in 65 registered PDM Saccos, which must be disbursed by June 30, 2023.
He emphasizes the need for all Parish Chiefs, Community Development Officers (CDOs), and Town Agents to return to the field and register eligible individuals for the government program promptly.
Geoffrey Kazungu, the commercial officer in Kisoro District, attributes the Setback in PDM disbursement to the lack of committees that hindered the effective execution of the project in the district.
In Kisoro district and Kisoro municipality combined, there are a total of 65 PDM Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs).
Out of these, seven are located in the municipality. Each SACCO has received over 57 million shillings, which is intended to benefit a minimum of 57 members per SACCO.
According to PDM guidelines, Pillar III focuses on a revolving fund strategy aimed at empowering Ugandans who cannot earn more than 4,000 Ugandan shillings daily.
The interest-free loans range between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Ugandan shillings and should be utilized over two years, targeting the 39% of Ugandans living below the poverty line of less than 1 US dollar per day.
