Three individuals have been apprehended over allegations of coercing funds from recipients of the Parish Development Model in Bushenyi district.
Those detained are Twiine Ntegye, who holds the position of LC II chairperson in Ntungamo Ward, Nyakabirizi Division located within Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality, Arthur Twijukye, the treasurer of Ntungamo Ward Sacco, and Donam Nahabwe, the Sacco’s publicist.
The trio was apprehended during an unplanned meeting held on Saturday, aimed at quelling potential protests against the leaders of Ntungamo Ward SACCO.
Members of the SACCO accused their leaders of soliciting 5,000 Shillings from each individual to ostensibly cover refreshment costs, and an additional 50,000 Shillings for file stamping.
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During the gathering, Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner, Robert Atuhairwe, declared that his office is actively investigating various Parish Chiefs and LC II chairpersons for their involvement in extortion and bribery. He emphasized that these individuals will face legal consequences.
Atuhairwe highlighted that the program adheres to specific guidelines that necessitate compliance. All the services provided under the program are intended to be free for beneficiaries.
Nyasio Biryomumaisho, the Chairperson of LC III in Nyakabirizi Division, revealed that a mandatory payment of either 20,000 or 50,000 Shillings was instituted to facilitate the completion of the registration process. Those who failed to comply risked exclusion.
The Parish Development Model is a grassroots-oriented government strategy for budgeting. It aims to decentralize national development planning, empowering leaders at the parish level to allocate resources for local social needs.
This approach intends to enhance decentralization, bolster household incomes, and promote accountability within local communities.
A total of 1.7 billion Shillings has been allocated to Ishaka-Bushenyi Municipality for distribution across 16 different wards under the Parish Development Model program.
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