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DISTRICT LEADERS, BENEFICIARIES UNITE TO STRENGTHEN PDM ACCOUNTABILITY LOOP.

By Bazio Doreen.Adjumani District Local Government has committed to strengthening monitoring, accountability and beneficiary support under the Parish Development Model (PDM) following findings from a monitoring exercise conducted across all sub-counties in the district.The commitment was made during a stakeholder engagement organized by the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) under its “Strengthening Budget Accountability Systems and Practices Project”, that started in 2024 and ends in 2027.The engagement brought together Participatory Budget Clubs (PBCs), district technical staff, PDM beneficiaries and sub-county leaders to review findings from monitoring conducted between April and May 2026 and identify measures to improve implementation of the PDM programme. Adjumani District currently has 56 PDM SACCOs.The monitoring exercise conducted by CSBAG through PBCs reached 94 beneficiaries, comprising 44 males and 50 females. Of those interviewed, 37 were aged between 18 and 35 years, 48 were aged 36 to 60 years, while nine were above 60 years.The findings highlighted several implementation challenges requiring strengthened coordination among beneficiaries, SACCO leadership, Parish Chiefs, Agricultural Extension Officers, sub-county leaders and district technical teams.Strengthening beneficiary support.The monitoring established gaps in beneficiary training and follow-up.Sixty-four beneficiaries reported that they had never been visited by Parish Chiefs, PDM SACCO leaders or Agricultural Extension Officers, while 43 said they had never received training.The findings further indicated that 27 beneficiaries lacked reliable markets for their produce or enterprises, with some depending on middlemen.Another significant concern was enterprise record keeping. Seventy-four beneficiaries reported having no records from their enterprises, making it difficult to assess business performance, monitor income and expenditure, and support beneficiaries to make informed decisions.The findings also showed that only 33 beneficiaries had partially repaid their loans at the time of the monitoring.The monitoring therefore identified continued sensitization, enterprise development, record keeping, market linkage and routine monitoring as key areas requiring attention.Addressing accountability concerns.The stakeholder meeting also discussed allegations of unofficial payments associated with accessing PDM support.According to the monitoring findings, 64 beneficiaries reported paying between Shs 50,000 and Shs 150,000 before receiving money or being selected.The district PDM focal person, Dr Mamawi Godfrey, emphasized that extortion of beneficiaries is a criminal offence and called for evidence to enable authorities to take appropriate action.He noted that leaders from Pakele and Itirikwa had previously faced prosecution over allegations relating to extortion and illegal payments.“It is criminal to extort, but most times beneficiaries fail to give evidence,” Dr Mamawi said.He urged beneficiaries and members of the public to report suspected cases through the appropriate channels and provide information that can support investigations.Dr Mamawi further clarified that the Shs 500, 000 provided to SACCOs for operations is public money and is not intended for Parish Chiefs or SACCO board chairpersons.He also explained that Government provides additional operational support to facilitate withdrawal-related charges associated with PDM disbursements.“Each SACCO receives an additional shs 4,000/= on top of the shs 1 million to cater for withdrawal charges. This means that beneficiaries should not be charged withdrawal fees for their shs 1 million,” Mamawi added.Building accountability through community monitoring.Peter Apidra, CSBAG Field Officer in Adjumani, said PDM's economic empowerment component directly relates to CSBAG's work on budgeting, planning and accountability.“PDM has a component of economic empowerment which aligns directly with the CSBAG mandate of budgeting and planning,” Apidra said.He noted that community monitoring provides an important mechanism for identifying challenges affecting programme beneficiaries and informing improvements in planning and implementation not just at the district level but even at the national level.Amoko Justin, a PBC member from Dzaipi, called for continuous sensitization of beneficiaries, particularly given the literacy challenges identified during the monitoring exercise.“Most beneficiaries are being extorted because of ignorance and due to limited sensitization,” he said.He also added that some beneficiaries face difficulties accessing markets for their enterprises, affecting their ability to generate income and repay the revolving fund.Improving enterprise sustainability.The leaders also acknowledged the need to strengthen enterprise selection and support.Aserua Rose, who represented the LC III Chairperson of Pachara Sub-county, observed that some groups were reportedly formed specifically for purposes of accessing the programme rather than building on existing community enterprises.“Most groups were formed for the purpose of the project. They were not existing groups,” Rose said.She also raised concerns about beneficiaries diverting funds to household needs and other non-income-generating activities.The observations reinforce the importance of strengthening enterprise assessment before disbursement, continuous mentorship after disbursement and closer monitoring of how funds are invested.Repayment and sustainability.The meeting also focused on loan recovery, given that PDM financing is intended to operate as a revolving fund.Eriku Patrick Keleture, Town Clerk of Adjumani Town Council, said the level of recovery remained low and urged beneficiaries and leaders to take the programme seriously.“Such projects need to be taken seriously because in the future local governments will be financed by local revenue and from loan repayments,” Keleture said.He further observed that the uniform allocation to parishes may not sufficiently account for differences in population and geographical circumstances.“The 100 million is inadequate because parishes differ geographically and in population,” he said.However, improving loan recovery will require more than enforcement. Beneficiaries need appropriate enterprises, technical support, and access to markets, financial literacy and regular monitoring to enable their businesses to generate sustainable income.District to conduct joint monitoring.As part of its response, Dr Mamawi says the district leadership will conduct joint monitoring visits in October 2026 involving relevant technical officers and stakeholders.According to Dr Mamawi, the exercise will provide an opportunity to verify the concerns raised during the CSBAG monitoring exercise, assess enterprise performance, review beneficiary support and strengthen accountability at SACCO and parish level.He also added that SACCO accounts that had been frozen because of delayed accountability have since been reopened following submission of the required accountability.Dr Mamawi encouraged the public to report suspected irregularities, including cases where individuals may use the identities of deceased persons to access public funds.Strengthening PDM for household transformation.The Parish Development Model is intended to support the transition of households from subsistence production into the money economy through access to affordable financing, enterprise development and other forms of support.The concerns raised during the monitoring exercise therefore provide an important opportunity for the district and its partners to strengthen implementation rather than undermine the program’s objectives.Going forward, the district leaders pledged to prioritize regular monitoring, beneficiary sensitization, enterprise support, market linkages, proper record keeping, accountability and loan recovery.The leaders also called upon beneficiaries to use PDM financing for its intended purpose, maintain proper records, participate in training and honor their repayment obligations.Dr Mamawi also appreciated CSBAG and the Participatory Budget Clubs for undertaking community-level monitoring and providing feedback that can contribute to improved planning, implementation and accountability.He observed that there is need for all key stake holders to continue working with communities, to ensure that PDM resources are used transparently and productively to support household income generation and sustainable economic transformation.END. 

ADJUMANI PREPARES TO ROLL OUT $328M DRDIP II IN OCTOBER.

By Bazio Doreen.Adjumani District Local Government is looking ahead to the implementation of the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project Phase II (DRDIP II), with expectations that the new phase will deepen investments in social services, livelihoods, infrastructure and community resilience in one of Uganda's long-standing refugee-hosting districts.DRDIP II comes as Uganda scales up its development response to the pressures and opportunities associated with hosting refugees. Backed by US$328 million in World Bank financing, the second phase is expected to benefit approximately 3 million people, including 1 million refugees, create at least 60,000 new or improved jobs and generate an estimated 6.1 million workdays through public works.For Adjumani, the programme comes against a backdrop of significant development needs linked to both its resident population and the long-term presence of refugees.According to UNHCR data, Adjumani's host population was estimated at 300,590 people as of March 2025. The district is among the refugee-hosting areas in Uganda where public infrastructure, livelihoods and basic services have had to respond to the needs of both refugee and host communities.Building on the first phase.DRDIP II is expected to build on lessons and investments from the first phase of the programme, which supported refugee-hosting districts through investments in social and economic infrastructure, livelihoods, environmental management and local government capacity.Adjumani was among the districts covered by the first DRDIP programme.Some of the investments recorded in Adjumani included the rehabilitation of Pagirinya Road at Shs1.27 billion, construction of an Intensive Care Unit at Adjumani Hospital at Shs1.8 billion, construction of dormitories at Dzaipi Secondary School and Mungula Secondary School at Shs750 million each, and classroom construction at Rende Primary School at Shs515.5 million. An Ofua community food store also received Shs230 million under the programme.These investments illustrate the scale at which DRDIP has previously supported infrastructure intended to benefit communities affected by displacement.The first phase also recorded substantial results nationally. World Bank project reporting shows that more than 3 million Ugandans gained access to improved social infrastructure, environmental services and livelihood opportunities, while the project created jobs for more than 174,660 people, including 27,380 refugees.A larger focus on livelihoods and jobs.While infrastructure remains important, DRDIP II places increased emphasis on economic opportunities.The World Bank says the second phase will expand support for livelihoods, local enterprises and public works alongside investments in education, health, water and other basic services. At least 60,000 jobs are expected to be created or improved through the project.For communities in Adjumani, where agriculture, small businesses and informal economic activities provide livelihoods for many households, the emphasis on economic opportunities could complement investments in physical infrastructure.The programme is also designed to support both refugees and host communities, reflecting Uganda's approach of integrating refugees into national and local development systems.Why DRDIP II matters to Adjumani.The need for sustained investment is linked not only to the presence of refugees but also to the broader development pressures facing refugee-hosting districts.The World Bank notes that refugee-hosting communities in Uganda continue to face significant development deficits, particularly in rural areas where basic service provision and economic opportunities remain constrained.This makes the transition from humanitarian support to longer-term development particularly important for districts such as Adjumani.DRDIP II is designed to improve access to basic social and economic services, expand livelihood opportunities and strengthen environmental management for both refugee and host communities.For Adjumani District Local Government, this creates an opportunity to align project investments with priorities already identified through district development planning.Communities expected to remain at the centre.A key feature of DRDIP is its community-driven approach, with local communities involved in identifying and prioritising investments.As anticipation builds around DRDIP II, effective community participation will be important in ensuring that projects respond to actual needs and that beneficiaries take ownership of the investments.The district will also need strong coordination among its technical departments, communities, refugee representatives, Office of the Prime Minister, implementing partners and other stakeholders to ensure that investments are properly planned, implemented and maintained.The first phase demonstrated the importance of local government capacity in managing such investments. World Bank project records show that 100 percent of infrastructure investments assessed under the project's results framework had local government recurrent budget allocations or operation and maintenance plans at the reporting point.From infrastructure to resilience.DRDIP II is therefore being positioned not simply as another infrastructure programme, but as part of Uganda's longer-term response to displacement.The World Bank describes the second phase as an opportunity to scale investments in infrastructure, public services, environmental management and economic opportunity, while strengthening the relationship between refugees and host communities.For Adjumani, the anticipation comes with an opportunity to build on what has already been achieved while addressing gaps that remain in roads, education, health, livelihoods, water and community economic development.As preparations for DRDIP II progress, the district's priority will be to ensure that communities are adequately engaged, identified needs are clearly documented and investments are aligned with Adjumani's development priorities.The anticipated programme represents another opportunity for Adjumani to turn the pressures associated with hosting refugees into investments that strengthen services, livelihoods, infrastructure and resilience for both refugee and host communities.END. 

DEPUTY CAO WAMBI RICHARD HANDS OVER OFFICE.

ADJUMANI, 23 September 2026 — Adjumani District Local Government has formally recorded the handover of office by Wambi Richard, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (Deputy CAO).The handover took place on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, at Adjumani District Headquarters, as part of the district's administrative transition and continuity of public service.The Deputy Chief Administrative Officer is responsible for supporting the Chief Administrative Officer in the coordination and oversight of the district's administrative functions, including ensuring effective implementation of government programmes and policies.The handover of office is part of the established public service procedures that facilitate the orderly transfer of responsibilities, official records and ongoing assignments between officers.Adjumani District Local Government appreciates Mr. Wambi Richard for his service to the district and contribution to the functioning of the local government administration during his tenure.The district remains committed to ensuring continuity in its administrative operations and maintaining effective service delivery to the people of Adjumani.END.