ARDC Kaberamaido Calls for Crackdown on PDM Extortion, Ghost Beneficiaries

What the report says

The Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Kaberamaido, Arikos Peter, has called for stricter oversight of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the cattle restocking programme, saying the goal is to ensure government support reaches the intended households. According to Dokolo Post, he made the remarks during a community engagement in Okile Sub-county with local council leaders, sub-county officials, parish chiefs, security personnel, PDM beneficiaries and recipients of cattle restocking support.

Arikos warned against practices he said were weakening the programmes, including extortion, bribery, ghost beneficiaries, identity theft and unauthorized withdrawal of beneficiaries’ money. He also cautioned against diverting PDM funds or livestock, saying such abuse could undermine efforts to improve livelihoods and promote household economic independence. He urged beneficiaries to use the resources responsibly and for the purposes intended.

He further asked community members to report suspected fraud and corruption through official government channels, and told local leaders to strengthen monitoring so that beneficiaries are selected transparently and receive the correct support. He said accountability should apply to everyone involved in managing or using public resources.

The report places the remarks in a broader effort to improve public confidence in government development programmes. More generally, PDM is a national poverty-reduction initiative in Uganda, while cattle restocking programmes are intended to help recover livelihoods in affected communities.