UGANDA, Gulu | Real Muloodi News | Gulu City Commercial Officer Nickson Atemo Komakech has been remanded to Gulu Main Prison until May 25, 2023, over misuse of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.
Atemo is accused of giving false information about how the PDM funds had been used.
The prosecution alleged that Atemo “gave false information that he had conducted training for town agents, SACCO leaders, and PDM trainers in 32 wards of Gulu City, whereas he had not, yet he had received funds for the said activities.”
He had received the funds for the said activities, yet he had not carried out any training. As a result, the court has remanded him to prison.
The arrest and prosecution of Atemo followed a directive by President Museveni to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate allegations of abuse of funds by district and technical staff in the city and the districts in the Acholi Sub-region.
In March, Brig. Henry Isoke, the head of the anti-corruption unit, embarked on a fact-finding mission in the Acholi Sub-region.
During the mission, Brig. Isoke met with various district and Gulu City leaders, market vendors, and disabled persons, among others.
Many issues regarding the money were raised in the meeting. The arrest and prosecution of Atemo are part of a wider effort to address the misuse of PDM funds in the region.
About the Parish Development Model (PDM)
The Parish Development Model (PDM) is a government program in Uganda aimed at developing the country’s rural areas by empowering local communities to identify and prioritise their development needs.
Under the program, funds are provided to parishes, which are then managed by elected committees.
However, recent reports of mismanagement and embezzlement of PDM funds have prompted the government to take action.
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