WENDI E-MONEY APP SCANDAL: PDM National Coordinator Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi & Minister Henry Musasizi Cited in Corruption-related Red flags  

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The government launched the implementation of the PDM using a whole-of-Government approach in February, 2022. The overarching goal of the PDM is to attain socioeconomic transformation based on improved productivity on households and enterprises at parish level.




Anti-corruption activists and other stakeholders in Uganda have expressed concern over the gaps in the WENDI E-MONEY App which have left room for corruption during Parish Development Model-PDM transactions.









Senior officials from the Ministry of Finance and Post Bank Uganda Ltd early this year met in Kampala to address serious issues concerning the Wendi e-money platform used to disburse payments to PDM fund beneficiaries, but similar concerns have merged again.







More Outcries and Gaps




People in rural parts of Uganda have also decried hardship in accessing this WENDI E-MONEY services amid reports that a lot of money is being siphoned by a syndicate linked to the PDM Secretariat National Coordinator, Hon. Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi and other top officials in PDM Secretariat, the Minister of State for Finance Planning and Economic Development Henry Musasizi and Post Bank.




PDM Secretariat National Coordinator, Hon. Dennis Galabuzi Ssozi.

“In March, April and May, there were concerns over Wendi App ownership and how it operates. These red flags caused internal pressure and fighting. They were never resolved. These officials siphon money through their Wendi agents in different parts of Uganda,” a source explained.




Minister of State for Finance Planning and Economic Development Henry Musasizi.

Notably, there have been reports of millions of shillings lost in embezzlement due to app difficulties.







In March this year, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit-SHACU reported that five PDM recipients’ Wendi accounts had been hacked, resulting in unauthorized withdrawals totaling Shs5 million. One suspect was remanded in detention after allegedly getting the victims’ log-in Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and used them to access their Wendi accounts.




“Even some government authorities reported conflicting information alleging the involvement of nameless Chinese nationals in the app’s creation,” a source added.




Post Bank Uganda Executive Director, Andrew Kabeera denied the weaknesses in the Wendi app, claiming that it was built internally and is secure since Post Bank is the owner of the App.




Post Bank Uganda Executive Director, Andrew Kabeera.

The Treasury directed the shift to the Wendi platform for PDM cash payments in response to a Cabinet resolution passed in July 2023. This decision diverged from the original concept described in the PDM’s foundation statement, which called for direct distributions from the Treasury to qualifying Savings and Credit Cooperatives.




While Finance Ministry officials defended the Wendi app’s operation and security, complaints from PDM beneficiaries around the country sparked urgent conversations among parties to address the issues.




“You can’t say you are empowering common people through PDM and you subject them to complicated technology yet you have Parish Chiefs, GISOs, LC3 Chairperson, CDOs, RDCs, and other officials who can monitor this money if it is sent directly to SACCOs. These cartels are using Wendi App to steal taxpayers’ money,” a source (economics and community development expert) explains.




Trillions of Shillings allocated




The government launched the implementation of the PDM using a whole-of-Government approach in February, 2022. The overarching goal of the PDM is to attain socioeconomic transformation based on improved productivity on households and enterprises at parish level.




In the Financial Year 2022/2023, Parliament appropriated Shs1.142 trillion for the PDM programme.




Government on June 13, 2024 confirmed that Shs1. 059 trillion shall be provided for in the 2024/2025 budget for PDM with the aim of increasing household incomes. That means each parish shall get an additional Shs100 million to benefit more households.




ALSO READ – ARRESTED: HOW RWAMPARA CAO & STAFF SWINDLED PDM FUNDS!




PARISH DEVELOPENT MODEL: HOW CORRUPTION IS CHOKING UGANDA’S POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES




DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HINDERING GOV’T PROGRAMMES – IBANDA WOMAN MP JANE BAINOMUGISHA 

Corruption, political interference, lack of awareness and other gaps hindering poverty alleviation interventions in Uganda 




PDM is one of the government interventions to create Wealth, Employment and increase Household Incomes, though most of them have been hindered by corruption, political interference, lack of awareness, poor monitoring, and other challenges.




The PDM has seven; Production + Storage + Processing and Marketing, Infrastructure and Economic Services, Financial Inclusion, Social Services, Mindset change, Parish Based Management Information System, and Governance and Administration.




ALSO READ – Lack of Monitoring Hindering EMYOOGA programme in Mbarara as Wrong Beneficiaries Enjoy Millions

Other poverty alleviation interventions include Operation Wealth Creation, Presidential Initiative on Wealth and Job creation, National Agricultural Advisory Services-NAADS, Youth Livelihood Programme, Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme-UWEP and others.




Corruption still in PDM




On August 27, 2024, the Head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Brig Gen Henry Isoke and his team met the PDM Secretariat National Coordinator Galabuzi, Godfrey Ssemugoma – Director Financial Management Services under Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and Dr. Edward Katende to strategize on ensuring better implementation of PDM.




“The unit has been key in supporting operations of PDM, by responding to reported complaints of corruption and mismanagement of PDM by errant individuals,” State House Anti-Corruption Unit explains. Story By Aaron Ainomugisha 









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