PDM CASH AGONY! Ruhinda Beneficiaries Tell D/Speaker Tayebwa: Fix Delays, Deductions & Youth Exclusion
Tayebwa spent Wednesday and Thursday traversing the constituency with district political and technical leaders to assess the implementation of the government programme and hear directly from residents.
And the message from beneficiaries was clear — fix the system.
‘WE HAVE WAITED FOR TWO YEARS’
Some applicants told Tayebwa they had waited for extended periods after registering for PDM funds, with some saying they had been on the waiting list for up to two years.
Tayebwa explained that the delays are partly caused by the manner in which PDM funds are released, with each parish receiving Shs100 million annually.
“The money comes in installments; there are parishes which are small, they have given all people and they are now starting the second round. But there are parishes that will take time because every year we give 100 million,” he said.
He gave an example of a parish with 1,000 families, saying it could take years to reach every applicant if funding remains at the same level.
“If a parish has 1,000 families, it means it will take 10 years to cover them. We have to be patient,” Tayebwa said.
But he stressed that patience should not be an excuse for unfair selection.
‘FIRST TO APPLY, FIRST TO BENEFIT’
The Deputy Speaker demanded greater transparency in selecting PDM beneficiaries.
He said people who applied earlier should not be overtaken by those who registered later.
“If a person applies first, a person who applies after that person should not receive money before the one who came first,” Tayebwa said.
He proposed that PDM applicant lists be displayed on parish noticeboards, arranged according to the date of application, to allow communities to monitor the selection process.
PDM DEDUCTIONS QUESTIONED
Allegations of illegal charges also emerged during the meetings, with Tayebwa telling residents that no one should pay money to access PDM funds.
He encouraged beneficiaries to speak out against officials or other individuals who demand payments.
But some residents reportedly fear reporting corruption because they worry that the people they accuse could retaliate by demanding repayment or frustrating their applications.
“There are some of you who are afraid to speak out, fearing that the people you’re reporting are the ones who will come back to ask you to pay it back,” Tayebwa said.
He reminded beneficiaries that money repaid under PDM is meant to circulate within the community and benefit other members.
“This is your money. If someone doesn’t pay, he is costing you as a group and a community,” he said.
WHERE DID THE OTHER MONEY GO?
The assessment also brought to light cases involving beneficiaries who reportedly received less than the Shs1 million associated with the programme, particularly during its initial implementation.
Tayebwa told residents that repayment obligations are based on the amount actually received.
However, he acknowledged the problem where a beneficiary signed for Shs1 million but received a smaller amount.
He encouraged those who benefited during the first phase to repay what they received before applying for another round.
“If you received PDM money when the programme was starting, I would encourage you to start paying back. After paying, you can apply for the second round, and in the second round, you will receive one million,” he said.
YOUTH CRY FOUL
Youth representation on PDM committees also became a major talking point.
Nasasira Ronald, the youth councillor for Kigyende Sub-county, told Tayebwa that young people were being left out of the committees responsible for overseeing the programme.
“When they are selecting PDM committee members, they don’t consider youth, yet 30% of the money is supposed to be for youth. We end up not getting our fair share because we are not represented. We appeal that youth be represented at all committees,” Nasasira said.
Tayebwa directed local leaders to review the composition of the committees.
“You should review all committees and show the youth who are representing them on the committees. If they are not represented, the committees should be changed to add youth representatives,” he said.
SAGE BENEFICIARIES ALSO QUALIFY
Confusion had also emerged over whether beneficiaries of the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme can access PDM funds.
Tayebwa sought to settle the matter, saying receiving SAGE support does not disqualify someone from benefiting from PDM.
“If you get SAGE money, you qualify to get PDM money,” he clarified.
ID CARD SCAM FEARS
Residents also raised concerns about attempts by some individuals to use identity cards belonging to other people to apply for PDM funds.
There were further reports of beneficiaries allegedly being misled into believing that PDM funds were free money that did not have to be repaid.
The concerns have added to the growing debate over how the programme is administered at parish level.
For Tayebwa, the Ruhinda North assessment provided an opportunity to hear the beneficiaries directly.
For the residents, however, the message was more direct: make the waiting lists transparent, stop illegal charges, protect whistleblowers and give young people a seat at the table.
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