Parliament's PAC Grills Kira Municipality on Slow PDM Fund Recovery

Officials from Kira Municipality faced tough questions from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (Local Government), chaired by Gilbert Olanya, on March 25, 2026. Led by Town Clerk Benon Yiga, they addressed Auditor General queries for the financial year ending June 30, 2025.

Lawmakers voiced alarm over the sluggish recovery of PDM funds, warning it could mirror issues in previous initiatives like the Youth Livelihood Programme. Olanya highlighted that while funds are grants to parishes, they function as repayable loans to beneficiaries to keep the model sustainable.

Kira Municipality reported disbursing around Shs2 billion, with only Shs67.4 million recovered so far. Auditors noted Shs309 million should have been repaid by expired grace periods, yet little progress was made.

PDM Focal Point Person Ronald Kagolo cited transition hurdles from manual to digital systems like Wendi as reasons for delays. Examples included Bweyogerere’s Shs8.5 million and Kyaliwajjala’s Shs7.4 million recoveries.

Committee members, including Emmanuel Ongierthor and Sowedi Kitanywa, questioned beneficiary vetting and database integrity. They stressed the need for rigorous enforcement to ensure funds revolve within communities.

Olanya rejected vague updates, insisting on individual-level recovery details. The committee ordered a full report within seven days, separating overdue from active repayments, to prevent massive losses.

Town Clerk Yiga promised enhancements, calling PDM a people-centered program requiring better management.

Source: Parliament of Uganda