The government has commenced a fresh push to recover billions of shillings disbursed under the Parish Development Model (PDM), following the expiration of the two-year grace period granted to the programme’s earliest beneficiaries. The recovery exercise is expected to play a key role in sustaining the initiative’s revolving fund system and extending support to more households across the country.
To kick-start the process, the PDM Secretariat has embarked on a series of consultations with local government leaders aimed at developing effective strategies for loan collection. Officials say the discussions will help identify practical approaches that can encourage compliance while addressing challenges experienced during the programme’s implementation.
Beneficiaries who received the Shs1 million funding between 2022 and 2024 are now expected to begin repayments. Authorities believe that successful recovery of the funds will strengthen the programme’s financial foundation and ensure that future beneficiaries can access similar support without disruption.
PDM Deputy National Coordinator Bonny Kashaija stressed that repayment is a crucial responsibility for beneficiaries. He explained that the programme was designed as a revolving fund and that timely repayments would enable more Ugandans to benefit from government-backed financial assistance aimed at boosting household incomes.
Kashaija further noted that the ongoing engagements with local leaders are not solely focused on recovery. The meetings are also intended to gather views on the programme’s performance, highlight existing obstacles, and generate recommendations that could improve service delivery at parish level.
However, the consultations have also exposed concerns surrounding beneficiary selection, particularly in urban areas. Some local leaders have questioned policies that require residents to seek PDM support from their ancestral districts instead of the communities where they currently live and conduct their economic activities.
Mbarara City Deputy Resident City Commissioner Jackie Kankunda challenged the practice, arguing that residents who have spent years building businesses, paying taxes, and contributing to local development should not be excluded from accessing PDM opportunities. She maintained that long-term residents deserve equal consideration regardless of where they originally came from.
As the recovery phase gains momentum, the Secretariat has instructed that all repayments be channelled through official PDM SACCO electronic wallet accounts to guarantee accountability and proper tracking of funds. With each parish having received hundreds of millions of shillings under the programme, officials remain optimistic that disciplined repayment and improved implementation will help secure the future of one of Uganda’s most ambitious poverty eradication initiatives.
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