BY JOACKIM KULE
The Kasese Deputy Resident District Commissioner in-charge of Bukonzo County has ordered the Parish Development Model SACCO leaders in Muhindi Parish of Nyakiyumbu Sub-county to refund 1.7 million shillings that the programme beneficiaries still claim to have given them in the process of applying for the money.
The 1.7 million shillings is part of the 7 million shillings that the Parish Development Model implementers allegedly collected from the people intending to benefit from the programme.
Lt. Maate Magwara says he had heard many complaints from the residents who allege that they have been giving out between shillings 40,000 and 70,000 to their SACCO leaders so that they are given shillings 1miilion each.
However, Magwara says out of the shillings 7 million that the people claim to have given the SACCO leaders, part of it has been refunded and is kept by the Sub-county Chief.
The Deputy RDC, who went to the area yesterday and held a meeting with both the complainants and the SACCO leaders in Kighuthu village, asked them to refund the remaining balance so that it is given back to the people in his presence.
Magwara regrets that such vices frustrate the efforts of the government in alleviating poverty from the people.
During the meeting, at least 13 people testified having bribed the SACCO leaders in order for them to access the money.
The victims welcomed the RDC’s order and interventions, explaining that the strategy would help to scare away some other implementers from mismanaging the government programs.
The Nyakiyumbu Sub-county Chairperson, Mr. Peter Sunday Kakule, regretted that the programme could have been mismanaged because the political leaders were left out in its implementation and monitoring.
ENDS