Masaka residents decry alleged extortion, corruption in PDM

What the report says

Residents of Kakunyu parish in Bukoto sub-county, Masaka district, have complained about alleged extortion, corruption and other irregularities in the Parish Development Model (PDM), a government poverty-reduction programme. The concerns were raised during an open community baraza convened by the minister of state for Local Government, Justine Nameere Nsubuga, according to The Observer.

At the meeting, residents alleged that some parish SACCO leaders were asking for money from people seeking to join or benefit from the programme. They also raised concerns about how beneficiaries were selected, saying the process lacked transparency and may have allowed improper inclusion of people from the same household, including cases involving both spouses.

Nameere called on SACCO leaders to follow PDM guidelines and avoid favouritism, extortion and similar abuses. She also urged local people to report suspected misconduct so that community feedback can help improve accountability. The report places the Masaka complaints in the wider national context of repeated corruption allegations around PDM, which was launched in 2022 to move households from subsistence work into the money economy through parish-based revolving funds. Under the programme, eligible households can receive up to Shs 1 million, making its administration politically and socially sensitive if funds do not reach intended recipients.