In a shocking turn of events, three high-ranking officials from Hamuhambo Town Council in Rubanda district are now in custody over allegations of corruption and misappropriation of government funds meant for the Parish Development Model (PDM). The arrested individuals include Ali Kirarira, the Town Clerk, Bridget Musimenta, the Community Development Officer, and Asiimwe Bright, the Town Agent.

The arrest followed a whistleblower report from members of the Kibuzigye-Hamuhambo PDM Sacco Limited, who raised concerns about irregularities in the beneficiary list. According to sources, the trio allegedly tampered with the list, removing legitimate beneficiaries and substituting them with 11 non-existent beneficiaries, creating what locals are referring to as "ghost names."

The Kibuzigye-Hamuhambo PDM Sacco Limited members, Agnes Tusingwire and Judith Kyarisima were among those who found themselves suddenly excluded. When they sought clarification from the Community Development Officer's office, they were allegedly told that the non-Sacco members who received the funds were expected to use the money for a month before returning it, a claim that has left the community in shock.

John Twesigomwe, the SACCO chairperson for Kibuzigye-Hamuhambo PDM Sacco Limited, emphasized that all necessary procedures were meticulously followed until the list was submitted to the bank for fund disbursement. Twesigomwe revealed that the irregularities not only involved ghost beneficiaries but also resulted in reduced payouts, with many receiving only half of the applied amount.

Deputy RDC for Rubanda District, Eric Ssewandigi, confirmed that investigations revealed a significant number of ghost beneficiaries among the 108 members of Kibuzigye-Hamuhambo PDM Sacco Limited. The arrests were made based on the confessions of the accused officials, who admitted to adding ghost names to the beneficiary list.

Ssewandigi issued a stern warning to residents of Rubanda District, cautioning them against any involvement in misappropriating government funds, especially those allocated for developmental initiatives like the Parish Development Model.

The Parish Development Model (PDM) is a vital initiative by the NRM Government, aimed at integrating subsistence households into the national economy. Four months ago, during the launch of fund disbursement in Rubanda District, the Minister of State for Finance in charge of General Duties, Henry Musasizi, stated that the government had allocated Ugx 1.059.4 trillion to 10,594 PDM SACCOS this financial year as revolving funds. However, this recent scandal raises concerns about the integrity of fund distribution and highlights the urgent need for accountability and transparency in such initiatives.