It is alleged that the grassroots officers manning the program are soliciting bribes from different groups in exchange for benefitting from the programme, a new initiative intended to drive households at the parish level into the money economy.
A section of Parish Chiefs in Kitgum district have come on the spot over
allegations of extortion and receiving bribes from beneficiaries of the
Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
It is alleged that the grassroots officers
manning the program are soliciting bribes from different groups in exchange for benefitting
from the programme, a new initiative intended to drive households at the parish level into the money economy.
In Lumule parish, Kitgum Matidi Sub County, a section of
beneficiary group members are accusing their parish chief of conniving with some
unsuccessful groups promising to help them to
access the funds.
Richard Odong, one of the concerned group members alleges
that the parish chief is holding secret
meetings with selected group members asking them for money, to allow him to change the tide in their favour.
According to Odong, the implicated officer has deliberately refused to hold community meetings for
the selection of beneficiary groups and instead invites and meets his preferred groups in town. A number of them, he says, have paid him between 300,000 to 1 million Shillings.
//Cue in; “now watye
ki…
Cue out…tye ka
time.”//
Stella Atim, the
Chairperson of one of the groups in Lagoro Sub County accuses the Sub
County officials of eliminating
genuine groups and considering their preferred groups based on segregation and
sectarianism. According to Atim,
despite possession of all prerequisites, their group was eliminated because
they declined to offer a bribe to the parish chief but only succeeded after notifying the office of the RDC.
//Cue in; “pien wan ki…
Cue out….dong ocoyo.”//
Kitgum Resident
District Commissioner William Komakech acknowledges receiving complaints. He says that they are now investigating the claims upon which disciplinary
action will be taken against the complicated officials.
Komakech applauded the community for standing against
corruption by openly reporting such corrupt tendencies that he says compromise
the PDM and other government programs meant to eliminate poverty and
cause social transformation in the communities.
