Identity Fraud Used to Siphon Parish Development Model Funds in Kween

What the report says

Nile Post reports that authorities in Kween District are investigating an alleged identity fraud racket within the Parish Development Model (PDM), Uganda’s government programme intended to provide financial support to poorer households. The case was reportedly detected during a sample audit of PDM SACCOs, with investigators estimating that at least Shs29 million was improperly obtained from Chemwania PDM SACCO.

According to the report, Kween Resident District Commissioner Hope Atuhairwe said the suspected scheme involved SACCO leaders working with people who were not eligible for the funds to alter beneficiary lists and mobile money details. The alleged manipulation meant some individuals accessed money more than once or used other people’s names and National Identification Numbers, while intended beneficiaries were left out.

Nile Post names Moses Labu, an agricultural extension worker in Kaser Sub-county, as one of those under investigation. Atuhairwe alleged that Labu received PDM funds three times despite being a civil servant, and that an additional Shs1 million was processed using the identity of Rona Chelimo but paid to a phone number linked to Labu. The report also says the chairperson of Chemwania PDM SACCO is accused of receiving Shs1 million through the identity of Violet Chelangat.

Atuhairwe said she had instructed the district PDM focal person to provide full payment records to determine the scale of the alleged fraud and identify illegal recipients. Police have opened criminal investigations, and Nile Post reports that some suspects have appeared in court and been released on bail. District officials are also carrying out community sensitisation after reports that misinformation discouraged some residents from applying for PDM loans.