The President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has ordered all persons who took Emyooga funds under false pretenses to pay back.

The President told Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja in a letter dated May 3, 2023, that the Director General of the Internal Security Organization (ISO), Col. Charles Oluka, had briefed him on the mistakes of government officials in regards to the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the Emyooga funds in the greater Masaka area.

The mistakes cited

Among the mistakes presented to the President by Col. Oluka there have been officials extorting money from members of the PDM SACCOS for tasks like photocopying documents, which the president had earlier cautioned about.

“These charges are illegal, if they are there, Brig. Henry Isoke the head of the State House Anti-Corruption unit should arrest all those involved.” noted president Museveni.

The President also noted that from Col. Oluka’s findings, there are some Saccos that received less money than what they were supposed to receive. In regards to this, the President directed the national coordinator of PDM, Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi, to handle the issue immediately.

The President also said that Col. Oluka had informed him that the rich local people had received PDM money instead of the poor as direct program beneficiaries.

Arrest of culprits

In the same meeting, the president ordered all those who had borrowed the Emyooga money and failed to pay it back to be arrested as well as all those who obtained the money under false pretense be arrested and forced to pay it back.

Terms of repayment 

On the terms of repayment, the president gave clarity and insisted that the correct period should be 24 months to pay back agricultural loans and do it in agreed-upon installments.

For Emyooga funds, the President says they should be concluded in 24 months, also in two installments.

The role of ISO

President Museveni also hinted at the importance of District Internal Security Officers (DISOs) and Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISOs) in fighting corruption.

Each and every district has complex and yet coordinated structures of internal security organization officers. These should be whistleblowers at all levels, starting from the top to the very bottom at village level.

“It is very easy to fight corruption under the National Resistance Movement party system because the victims of corruption are here in the country and even the parasites are known since most of them are politicians that make decisions about money, jobs and civil servants, so it’s easy to defeat them,” added the president. 

About Defiant MP’s

The President warned against some members of the opposition in parliament who are deterring the efforts made in the implementation of the PDM. The President named Hon. Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi (Butambala County) and Luttamaguzi Semakula (Nakaseke South) as some of the people who are undermining the project.

The President directed Minister Magyezi and PDM Coordinator Galabuzi and all the respective RDCs plus other leaders to answer the duo with the truth through local radio stations.

The President added that if the MPs keep inciting the public to take the money and refuse to pay it back, then they should be arrested and charged with the relevant laws.

Amounts disbursed so far

The Minister for Local Government, Hon. Rapheal Magyezi confirmed that the total amount disbursed so far is sh 248.475 bn.

“There have been some delays in Kampala and Kasese because of some errors in training and registration of the SACCOS and these have been corrected thus funds are being processed.” Magyezi added.