Three chairpersons of the Parish Development Model (PDM) Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) in Mitooma have been arrested.
Benon Bagorogoza, a resident of Furuma, Mutara Town Council; Justus Kamuza from Rurehe South PDM SACCO; and James Turyamureba from Kiyanga PDM Sacco were arrested on the orders of Deputy Resident District Commissioner Umaru Muhanguzi.
During a consultative meeting chaired by Muhanguzi, the beneficiaries pinned the chairpersons on Wednesday, at Bitereko Church of Uganda in Mutara Town Council, Ruhinda South.
Muhanguzi said that the chairpersons are part of a list that includes Parish Chiefs and SACCO leaders who are under investigation.
Ronald Tibingana Kato, the Internal Security Officer for Mitooma District, says that sufficient evidence has been gathered to implicate several parish chiefs who are misusing their positions to solicit money from beneficiaries.
He said that the officials were accepting facilitation fees ranging from 70,000 to 100,000 Shillings.
Fred Kizito Mukasa, the Chief Administrative Officer of Mitooma District, confirmed that several Parish Chiefs involved in extortion have been suspended.
Habib Murinde, a beneficiary of the PDM, accused the chairpersons of soliciting 30,000 Shillings for his name to be included on the list of beneficiaries for the Ruhoko parish PDM Sacco.
Caroline Mugume, another beneficiary from Furuma, accused her chairperson of soliciting money from her to create a password for her account where money would be deposited.
Mitooma District received one billion Shillings for the Parish Development Model program that will be disbursed to 79 parishes-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
