KAMPALA, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni has ordered banks to stop deducting charges from funds allocated to beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
Museveni made the announcement Thursday during a public rally in Mbale City, saying the government will cover all bank charges.
“The banks which have been knocking off money, I have stopped it, the government will pay the bank charges, they will not touch your Shs1 million,” Museveni said.
The PDM program provides Shs1 million to each beneficiary to support income-generating activities such as agriculture, livestock, and small-scale enterprises.
“Now there are those who knocked off some money and instead of giving the beneficiaries Sha980,000 after bank charges, they gave Sha200,000, Shs500, 000. There are two categories there, initially, there are those who ordered themselves to give small money to various people without following what the government was saying. When we came to know we stopped it, we said it must be Shs1 million. If anybody knocked off money after that, you will pay back but also we are going to arrest him because that one is a thief,” he said.
President Museveni further assured Ugandans of PDM continuity, asking them to guard the project jealously because it’s meant to help them fight poverty and uplift their livelihoods.
“Let us move without stopping, each year we shall send Shs100 million. That means in 5 years, the Parish will get Shs500 million but also in the 3rd year, the one who got first will pay back and that money will come back to the fund of the Parish and by 5 years, the Parish bank would have got an extra Shs 300 million coming back from the initial borrowers. It will no longer be Shs500 million but Shs 800 million. This money will not come back to the government, it will stay in your Parish bank. This is your money, make sure you guard it properly. You don’t have to borrow from the money lenders or even the commercial banks, this is your money, so please don’t miss this chance.”
Museveni also warned officials who have been mismanaging PDM funds that they will be arrested and required to refund the money.
“During my tour, I have discovered that there are people who are not qualified for the PDM, “the bagagga” civil servants. Those ones got it, yet they are not supposed to get it. They should pay it back immediately. Those made a mistake of taking what is not theirs,” he ordered.
The president’s announcement is part of the government’s efforts to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in Uganda.
Museveni has been touring the country to assess the implementation of the PDM program and other government initiatives.
The PDM program is a key component of the government’s efforts to promote economic growth and reduce poverty in Uganda.
