Uganda: Nabbanja asked to explain allegations of fraud in Parish Development Model (PDM)

Legislators have expressed discontent over the reported fraud surrounding disbursement of funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM) to beneficiaries. 

MPs are primarily concerned with the Wendi mobile Application used by Post Bank to transfer funds to beneficiaries, which is said to have been hacked and caused financial loss.

“In my district and many others, Wendi App has enabled Post Bank to send up to Shs70 million to PDM leaders who then disburse funds their members. These people are not ready and equipped to receive such sums of money. As a result many of them have been arrested as a lot of money has been lost,” said Hon. Florence Nambozo (Ind., Sironko District).

Nambozo raised this as a matter of national importance during the plenary sitting held on Thursday, 29 February 2024.

The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, who chaired the sitting, attested to have received complaints of corruption in the management of PDM funds. 

“I have been hearing rumors, people complaining that there is corruption in PDM, saying that money is going to this and that individual,” he said.

Tayebwa mentioned that he was unaware of the changes in disbursement of PDM funds from Parish based Saccos to beneficiaries’ phones using the Wendi App, which he asked the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, to justify.

“We agreed that every time government makes changes in implementation of PDM you update this House, so that we go mobilize our people and inform them of the changes. I do not even know they changed to the App, people do not even know who owns it,” Tayebwa said.

He asked Nabbanja to furnish Parliament with a statement on the latest developments in PDM, saying MPs should be onboard at every stage for proper supervision.

Nabbanja reiterated that the Wendi App was introduced to address long and frustrating lines that PDM beneficiaries were facing while in banking halls.  

“I want our people to remember how beneficiaries used to lineup in banks, it became hectic and we decided to use an App where beneficiaries could receive money through their phones,” she said.

She said she was aware of the App’s technical glitches and that her office was scheduled to resolve the matter with Post Bank.

“We are having a meeting with the Managing Director, Post Bank tomorrow, otherwise Wendi has to be refined to bridge all these gaps to avoid fraudulent people who are taking advantage and stealing our people,” Nabbanja said. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.