Operatives from various security agencies led by the PDM National Secretariat Deputy National Coordinator Hon. Jovrine Kallisa, ISO Anti-Corruption Operations Unit, and the CID of Uganda Police Force raided the office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Kitgum seeking an explanation on how money for the Parish Development Model commonly known as PDM was spent after a tip off by various members in the District led by the LC V Chairman RDC and DISO Kitgum.
The PDM is a government approach for organising and delivering public and private sector interventions purposed for wealth creation and employment generation at the parish level in order to involve more Ugandans in increasing the market for their goods and services while escaping the long bureaucratic channels at the District and Central government level.
It is thus believed that when the Kitgum District staff led by their Chief Administrative Officer – a one Mr. Joel Musisi saw the fat balance on the District Account, he encouraged a number of his staff to withdraw and share it despite the orders that were given by the PDM National Secretariat indicating that only UGX 73 Million was to be used for district operations and monitoring.
It was further discovered that the CAO has a history of misuse of public funds having paid a contractor UGX 328 Million in Kaabong for a non-existing building to house the District Council chambers.
The investigating agencies and staff of PDM National Secretariat were left wondering how a person causing such a financial loss to Government can be transferred within Districts which is a big risk to cause further losses through fraudulent acts like this in Kitgum.
The Deputy National Coordinator of PDM, Hon. Jovrine Kallisa in coordination with the staff of ISO and CID arrested 15 members of the District while the District Chief Finance Officer and the Driver to the CAO fled from the scene but efforts are ongoing to hunt them down.
Information obtained by joint security agencies indicates that in some instances, the CAO forced some of his sub county chiefs to sign for the money despite their reluctance and these people would then remit part of the money to the CAO.
The staff arrested include;
Mr. Joel Musisi – Chief Administrative Officer
Mr. Stephen Omony Lakonyero – Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Mr. Alfred Omony – District Production Officer
Mr. Barnabas Opiyo – Agricultural Officer
Mr. Morris Atwom – Senior Commercial Officer
Mr. Guandesio Ogal – Community Development Officer
Mr. Alex Opira – Commerce Officer
Mr. Dennis Ocira – District Agricultural Officer
Ms. Agnes Aryemo – District Accountant
Mr. Christopher Kilama – District Planner
Mr. Paul Nyeko – Commercial Officer
Mr. Alfred Kinyera – Veterinary Officer
Mr. Samuel Komakech – Driver
Mr. Michael Ogweng – Probation Officer
Mr. Francis Otim – District Chief Officer
The security agencies led by ISO and the State House Anti-Corruption unit are currently making intensive operations among local governments to detect and prevent any further corruption occurrences in order to ensure that service delivery efforts are facilitated properly.
