By Dickens Twinomujuni
Kisoro RDC Hajji Badru Sebyala is worried that youths continue to misuse funds received from government projects.
He made the remarks Tuesday evening during the ‘Government Hour’ talk show on Voice of Muhabura.
Sebyala was addressing concerns regarding the Parish Development Model (PDM) Project in Kisoro district.
He also took a swipe at youths protesting against the NRM government, which is ‘working hard to make them progress’.
According to Sebyala, security agencies are working closely to arrest and punish whoever is asking for bribes before Ugandans benefit from the Parish Development Model, appealing to the victims to report such saboteurs.
“Some received money and promised to start projects such as poultry, piggery and others. But can we find something on ground?” wondered Sebyala.
He challenged beneficiaries in the PDM project to be whistleblowers with tangible evidence.
“When you know you have to receive 1 million, why should you settle for Shs800,000 and you make noise in the media, instead of telling us as authorities? When you give a bribe and you keep quiet, you are worse than the person who received the bribe.”
Asked whether there have been some arrests, Sebyala responded “We have arrested some and my deputy is making a follow up on others. We want people to come forward and report these people failing government projects. Don’t keep quiet. Tell us with evidence and we act.”
He refused to name those arrested. Voice of Muhabura is yet to establish which parish chiefs were arrested for extorting bribes from PDM beneficiaries.
58 PDM Saccos have all received a total of Shs100,500,000 on their accounts, says Kisoro PDM coordinator, Dr Ngabo Herbat Bubasha.
He says they aim to ensure that all targeted beneficiaries have received the money before August 15, this year.
During the show, Nyiramugisha Peace, the focal person for the Youth Livelihood Program in Kisoro, who doubles as the CDO Bunagana Town Council, disclosed that over 2,000 youths have received funds in the last 10 years.
She noted that Shs1.6billion has been received by beneficiary groups, but only Shs700 million has been refunded by members.
“Most youths tend to divert these funds to other activities instead of maintaining the projects they submitted. But I want to remind them that these are revolving funds. They should pay so that other youths can benefit and we maintain the project in the district,” said Nyiramugisha.
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