The recovery of funds disbursed under the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme in Nakaseke District has come under scrutiny after legislators on the Public Accounts Committee (Local Government) learned that only shs28.2 million has been recovered over the past year.
The committee Hon. Betty Nambooze, heard that of the shs25 billion that was disbursed to SACCOs in the district, a total of shs6.46 billion was to be paid back in financial year 2025/2026, under the Parish Revolving Fund (PRF) arrangement.
The district focal person for the PDM programme, Robert Kaggwa said that 2,500 families benefitted from the funding but that the shs28 million was recovered on a voluntary basis.
Nambooze observed that the recovery rate of the district was wanting.
“Government is investing a lot of money; if Nakaseke alone has been given shs25 billion and they have failed to recover even shs100 million in the first phase of recovery, how are other districts performing on the parish revolving fund?” Nambooze asked.
She also tasked Kaggwa to explain how the shs6.46 billion shall be recovered by government.
“Tell us how we can get this money back, and show us that you have done your part, and that it is the beneficiaries refusing to pay,” Nambooze added.
Kaggwa attributed the poor recovery rate to absence of modalities to guide PDM beneficiaries on how to pay back the funds following the two-year grace period.
“The recovery is now via the Wendi app where the money paid back goes to the SACCO account. The beneficiary and SACCO chairperson receive a message, and it also received by the Ministry of Finance,” Kaggwa said.
He added that communication has been made to lower local government accounting officers to monitor and enforce recovery of PDM money.
“We are also sensitising the public through radio talk shows and community meetings. We take them through the guidelines for recovery of these funds,” Kaggwa said.
The committee also learned that funds disbursed under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) were not received by the listed groups presented by Denis Batalingaya, the District Community Development Officer (DCDO) for Nakaseke.
According to the Auditor General’s report on Nakaseke District Local Government for the audit year ended December 2025, only shs3 million was recovered from beneficiary groups out of the outstanding balance of shs923 million.
“Failure to repay in a timely manner implies that other eligible groups were unable to access the funds. The accounting officer explained that most of the groups had disintegrated and therefore, it was practically unfeasible to enforce recovery,” reads the report in part.
Batalingaya added that invitations for interactions with groups under YLP were sent out, however, respective team leaders did not honour the invitations. He added that quarterly field reports on the matter were submitted to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).
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