Joveline Kalisa Kyomukama the outspoken Deputy National Coordinator of the Parish Development Model, , has blamed the Ministry of Finance for the delayed disbursement of the second phase of the Parish Model Program funds. This statement was made during a two-day workshop hosted at Bunyonyi Safaris, Kabale district, which saw Kigezi Sub-region RDCs, LC5 Chairpersons, CAOs, and Commercial Officers come together to find solutions to ensure the success of the PDM program.
The workshop primarily aimed to identify why some districts within the Kigezi Sub-region, particularly Rukungiri and Kabale, have not disbursed the second phase of the funds.
The PDM program, launched in February 2022 by President Museveni, aims to lift over 3.5 million households out of poverty. The parish revolving fund provided by the government serves as a capitalization grant for income-generating activities, including the production, processing, marketing, and storage of agricultural products.
The Parish Development Model has been in existence for two financial years. However, it has been revealed that the program has not performed well, not only in the Kigezi sub-region but across the country.
In April, the second batch of funds was disbursed to the beneficiaries. However, some beneficiaries have reported that the disbursement timing was not ideal, as it was not the right season to use the money. Others have mentioned receiving only half of the funds, leaving them worried that the remaining money would be returned as the financial year draws to a close.
Kalisa Kyomukama attributes the local government’s failure to disburse the funds to the Ministry of Finance’s frequent changes to the guidelines, which slow down the release of funds and hinder the disbursement process. She asserts that it is high time the Ministry of Finance provides a realistic explanation to the beneficiaries.
“Why the Ministry of Local Government is failing to quickly disburse the funds is because the changing of guidelines issued by the Ministry of Finance is becoming too much. For me, the president sent me on a mission, and my mission is to ensure that people have money,” Kalisa asserts.
Kalisa also criticizes the National PDM Secretariat for being lax in their duties and failing to address complaints raised by various beneficiaries. She emphasizes that if the second batch has not been fully disbursed, there is a significant problem, especially since the funds are being disbursed during the dry season, which is not ideal for farmers.
“It is going to continue to be difficult to implement because we have failed to realize that it’s a bottom-up approach. That’s why we still sit in Kampala and issue orders instead of listening to both the stakeholders and beneficiaries,” Kalisa notes.
Kalisa revealed that over the past two financial years, the government has released over Shs 1.5 trillion, with 150 million per parish. She calls on the leadership to collaborate closely with the PDM Secretariat and the Ministry of Local Government to ensure the success of the PDM program.
In his closing remarks, Godfrey Nyakahuma noted that this was their first engagement with the PDM Secretariat and expressed confidence that they would work hard to ensure the PDM program’s success in the Kigezi sub-region. He also urged leaders to dedicate their efforts to this cause.
Currently, the Parish Development Model Secretariat is on a countrywide tour to evaluate the program’s performance. This program represents the government’s latest effort to combat poverty and drive economic transformation.
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