429 Arraigned in Court Over PDM Fund Theft,

Police have arrested 552 people over the alleged theft, embezzlement, and diversion of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds in a nationwide crackdown conducted over the past two months. Of those arrested, 429 have been arraigned in court, according to Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner of Police Kituuma Rusoke, who said the operation would be extended to other parts of the country.

Addressing journalists at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, Rusoke said the arrests followed presidential directives to investigate the misuse of funds intended to move households from subsistence farming into the money economy. “We want all persons involved in the theft and diversion of PDM funds, including those in areas not yet covered, to know that the operation is coming. Remember, we have just covered a very small portion of the country. Without a doubt, it is a question of when, not whether,” Rusoke said.

The operation is being conducted by teams from Crime Intelligence, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) unit and the Professional Standards Unit (PSU), which handles cases involving police officers. Other participating agencies include the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Resident District Commissioners, City Resident Commissioners and Chief Administrative Officers.

Police said the operation has so far covered 12 police regional jurisdictions across Karamoja, Teso, Bugisu, Sebei, Bukedi and Busoga, as well as parts of Buganda, particularly Luwero and Wakiso districts. The suspects are facing charges that include theft, embezzlement, abuse of office, uttering forged documents, obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to defraud, extortion and cheating.

SACCO leaders account for the largest category of suspects, with 251 arrests, followed by 81 parish chiefs, 25 Parish Development Committee leaders, 23 representatives of Local Council leaders, 23 teachers, six Local Council leaders and five district commercial officers. Rusoke said investigators had established that some officials were extorting beneficiaries by demanding bribes before processing their applications or releasing funds.Police urged individuals who forged documents or diverted PDM money to refund the funds and resolve their cases before they face the full force of the law.

Rusoke said the current operation was focused on PDM managers and handlers suspected of misappropriating the funds rather than the intended beneficiaries. He added that intelligence teams had received reports of suspects threatening beneficiaries to prevent them from reporting cases of fraud and extortion.


The police spokesperson said investigations and recovery efforts would continue as authorities pursued those suspected of abusing the programme. President Yoweri Museveni launched the Parish Development Model in February 2022 to transition 33 per cent of Ugandan households from subsistence production into the money economy, using the parish as the lowest unit for planning, budgeting and service delivery.

Under the programme, each parish receives Shs100 million annually as a revolving fund, with eligible households expected to access Shs1 million to invest in income-generating activities. However, the programme has faced persistent challenges, including alleged embezzlement, diversion of funds and extortion by some SACCO leaders and parish officials.

More than Shs3.38 trillion has reportedly been invested in the programme since the 2021/2022 financial year, raising concerns about accountability and whether the funds are reaching their intended beneficiaries. Police said the ongoing crackdown would be expanded to other areas as investigations continue.