Kiryandongo Police are holding a parish chief accused of demanding money from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM), after several residents reported receiving less than the one million shillings they were allocated.
Maureen Aliguma, the Parish Chief of Kyemba Parish in Kiryandongo Sub-county, was arrested on the orders of Kiryandongo Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Dan Muganga following complaints from PDM beneficiaries.
Umar Kabagambe, a resident of Kyembera Village, told authorities that he was supposed to receive one million shillings to invest in his selected PDM enterprise but received only 500,000 shillings. Kabagambe alleged that Aliguma demanded the remaining 500,000 shillings from him, which he handed over to her.
Another beneficiary, Choice Nakate, also from Kyembera Village, alleged that she received 450,000 shillings instead of the one million shillings allocated to her, with the balance allegedly taken by the parish chief.
Justine Aliganyira, a resident of Dyangi Village, similarly reported receiving 500,000 shillings instead of the one million shillings allocated under the programme. She also alleged that the balance was taken by Aliguma.
Stephen Ojok, the Kiryandongo District Police Commander, confirmed Aliguma’s arrest and said she is facing charges of extortion and obtaining money by false pretences as investigations continue.
The latest case comes amid several reported incidents involving alleged extortion and misuse of PDM funds in Kiryandongo and neighbouring Masindi districts.
In August 2025, police arrested Ibrahim Kisembo, the Parish Chief of Nyamaswa, and Stanly Odeke, the SACCO Chairperson of Tuyungane Group in Mpumwe Parish, Kigumba Sub-county, over allegations of demanding money from PDM applicants.
Authorities alleged that Kisembo had collected about seven million shillings from beneficiaries in Nyamaswa Parish, while Odeke was accused of receiving 800,000 shillings from applicants in Mpumwe Parish. The two were accused of demanding between 100,000 and 200,000 shillings from applicants.
In July 2024, three town agents from Kigumba Town Council were arrested over similar allegations. Timothy Mwesigwa from Ward A, John Ngambisha from Ward B and Florence Korugendo from Ward C were accused of demanding between 100,000 and 200,000 shillings from PDM beneficiaries.
In neighbouring Masindi District, two officials were arrested in May 2024 over allegations of collecting 200,000 shillings from each PDM beneficiary.
They were identified as John Ayesiga, chairperson of Tukole Hamu PDM Group in Muramura Village, and Edward Irumba, the LC1 chairperson of Muramura Village.In April 2025, four other people were arrested in Kiryandongo over allegations involving one million shillings intended for PDM beneficiaries.
Those arrested included Juliet Katusabe, the Town Agent for Northern Ward in Kiryandongo Town Council; Edward Katusiime, a PDM Enterprise Leader from Mukonogum Cell; Mary Atim, a secretary in the District Production Department; and a SACCO leader identified only as Anguliga.
Investigators alleged that the suspects used the national identification details of Oliva Katusiime, a resident of Runyanya Village, to withdraw PDM funds without her knowledge-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
