PDM Sacco leaders storm out of training over facilitation

There was drama at Bundibugyo Primary Teachers College in Bundibugyo District after Parish Development Model Sacco leaders stormed out of training protesting lack of transport refund and meals.

The Sacco leaders from over 10 sub counties and town councils had gathered for orientation training on Wednesday to prepare them on how they are going to run the program.

The participants stormed out of the meeting after the district commercial officer, Ms Joyce Tusabe, told them that they would not be facilitated because the district has not yet received enough money to cater for the expenses.

Her explanation did not go well with the participants who said they could not attend a meeting without food and transport refund. The Bundibugyo police was quickly deployed to quell the situation and the meeting was immediately suspended.

“The commercial officer ran announcements over the radio that we shall be facilitated but unfortunately she has changed the statement now; who is going to pay for our transport?” Mr Pius Matte, one of the participants from Bundweya Parish in Bukonzo Sub County said.

Another Sacco leader, Mr Jimmy Kahanga, from Bubukwanga Sub County wondered how government can organise a meeting without catering for meals and transport for participants yet they are planned for in the program.

However, the Bundibugyo Resident District Commissioner, Lt Col. Bright Alex, said they had not received enough money to cater for the PDM training programs but the district decided to conduct the trainings since it is one of the preconditions for the Saccos to receive the PDM money.

He said out of the 130 PDM Saccos in the district at least 125 have each received Shs30 million except only five Saccos that had some technical issues, which are yet to be solved.

“Of course the money released is very little and fixed so we are trying as much as possible to make sure those activities are covered so that they can access the seed money, you know some people who don’t have information think that the commercial office is maybe eating (sic) this money,” he said.

The district chairperson, Mr Robert Tibakunirwa, said the implementation of the program is going to perfectly kick start despite a few challenges that led to the delay of disbursement of the funds.

“We had some technical errors in data collection and formation of Saccos but this has been sorted and I’m hopeful the program is going to run perfectly,” Tibakunirwa said.