The Auditor General, Edward Akol, has revealed worrying figures showing that only UGX 9.340 billion has been recovered from the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds — a tiny fraction of the money released by government. His statement came as he presented the December 2025 Annual Audit Report to the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, on 29th January 2026.
According to the report, this recovery covers just 18,105 beneficiaries in 709 Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) across 30 local governments. These efforts represent part of the voluntary recovery process from the 2022 PDM cohort, which received a cumulative UGX 3.258 trillion released by government to 10,589 PDM SACCOs.
The Auditor General did not hold back in outlining serious challenges affecting the PDM implementation and accountability. Among the key issues he highlighted were funding of non-existent “ghost” projects, delays in disbursing funds to intended households, and the implementation of ineligible or improper projects.
Equally troubling, the report found cases of diversion of funds away from intended purposes, and duplicate recipients receiving funds more than once — undermining equity and transparency. These irregularities, the Auditor General noted, weaken public trust and raise questions about oversight and controls within PDM operations.
In presenting the audit findings, Edward Akol stressed the importance of strengthening systems to ensure that public funds reach the households and communities they were meant to serve. The Auditor General’s report is expected to fuel ongoing discussions in Parliament about improving governance, tightening financial controls, and enforcing stronger sanctions against misuse of public resources.
Members of Parliament have reacted with concern, calling for swift action to address the weaknesses flagged in the report. Some have urged greater involvement of oversight institutions, regular auditing, and more robust tracking of funds from disbursement to final use.
The Parish Development Model, a flagship government initiative aimed at stimulating grassroots economic transformation through household empowerment, has faced mixed results since its rollout. While it has mobilized resources and community structures, the findings in the latest audit report underscore persistent accountability gaps that must be resolved to achieve the program’s goals.
As the Public Accounts Committee and other parliamentary organs review the report, stakeholders — including civil society and development partners — are watching closely, calling for reforms that will make the PDM more transparent, efficient, and accountable to the communities it was designed to uplift.
