BY ; Innocent Atuganyira

HOIMA – Hoima City authorities are facing challenges in recovering funds disbursed under the Parish Development Model (PDM), with officials reporting that no money has been refunded by beneficiaries to date.

The city has disbursed more than UGX 5 billion in PDM funds since the 2022 financial year, benefiting at least 1,696 individuals across 16 wards. However, authorities say none of the recipients has made any repayments.

Speaking during an engagement meeting held on April 7, 2026, at Hoima West Division headquarters in Kibingo Ward, the city’s PDM focal person, Swale Kajuma Ashiraf, said the lack of recovery is largely due to beneficiaries deliberately refusing to refund the money.

He noted that even those who received funds in the initial phase have not made any repayments, with many reportedly under the impression that the money was a government grant rather than a revolving fund.

Ashiraf said city authorities are now considering stricter measures to compel beneficiaries to repay the funds.

The PDM programme, a presidential initiative, was introduced to alleviate poverty among Ugandans through a revolving fund system.

Amuli Kintu Kasuga, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner in charge of Hoima West Division, described the city’s performance in fund recovery as poor, despite strong performance during the disbursement phase. He urged beneficiaries to repay the money to enable others to benefit from the programme.

Meanwhile, Johnson Isingoma, Chairperson of Kihukya Ward PDM SACCO, revealed that UGX 556 million was disbursed to 356 beneficiaries in the ward, but none has so far refunded the funds.