By our Reporters,
SHEEMA:
Rifts between Sheema Parish Chiefs and the District Production office on the parish development model (PDM) funds have taken a new twist.
As you read these, the District Productions Officer, Robertson Kansiime is sitting on an exploding bomb after he was directed to refund the money he allegedly misused in the implementation of PDM.
This followed a complaint by a section of the parish chiefs to the Local Government minister claiming that they were neglected in the mobilisation, sensitization and implementation exercise of the programme as stipulated in the guidelines.
In a letter to the minister dated 4 November, the complainants accused DPO Kansiime of using his office to select Parish Development Model committees parish levels at the sub count and yet it was not his work.
“Surplisingly, the DPO has dominated the exercise from the district up to the village level without involving the parish / town agents, sub-county agricultural officers in formation of the PDM committees,” read excerpts of the complaint.
They further alleged that Kansiime unlawfully connived with some district officials such as the District Commercial Officer, District Communications Officer, Planning office and district volunteers to be facilitators in selecting the said committees yet it was a role of the sub county Community Development Officers together with the Town Clerk and assisted by the parish chiefs.
Reports indicate that Sheema District received Ugx 150 million Parish Development Model funds which was wired on the district production’s office account. But, some parish chiefs allege that part of this money has been misused by the production office.
In an interview with our sister publication, the Ankole Times, anonymous source said that all these activities were facilitated using unspecified amount of money from the Parish Development Model funds without the consent of the RDC, LCV chairperson, Parish chiefs and other stakeholders.
The source disclosed that money worth 70,000 shillings and 10,000 shillings was given as facilitation fee to each individual who attended DPO’s meetings to form committees both at the district, sub county and parish levels respectively.
This prompted minister Raphael Magezi, local government minister to instruct the district Boss Tumwijukye Jemimah Buhanda to intervene into the matter.
This publication learned that while in Fort Portal Kabalore for the election of ULGA president last week, minister Magezi held a private meeting with Sheema district Chairperson Jemimah Buhanda and directed her to sort out the PDM mess in her district.
As a good child who listens to the elders, up on return, Jemimah authored a letter inviting parish chiefs and town agents in a meeting to discuss on the issues.
On Tuesday 9th November at 9am, district leaders convenned a meeting chaired by the Resident District Boss Buhanda at the district headquarters. The meeting was attended by the RDC Frank Kyerere, CAO, DPO, DISO, District executive all parish chiefs/town agents from the 11 sub countities that make up Sheema district apart from those from the municipality.
During the meeting, it was established that the the DPO and his team did not have an implementation workplan and the Budget in all the activities they were doing.
RDC Frank Kyereere dissolved committees at Parish & Sub-counnty levels formed by the DPO as null and void ordering him to produce to his office the implementation workplan and Budget of the money used during the mobilisation, sensitization and implementation of the PSM exercise today before 2PM.
The DPO office has further been directed to refund all the money that was used in the implementation exercise.
Meanwhile, the meeting agreed to convene again with all CDOs on Thursday November 12th, for all members training on PDM operations and the district production office was instructed to always engage parish chiefs and town agents in all the activities.
