By Weswa Ronnie
BUTALEJA
The Butaleja District Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nasuga Musulemi has cancelled the recent elections of Parish SACCO leaders under the Parish Development Model (PDM) across the district, citing widespread corruption and electoral malpractices.
He revealed this while speaking to our reporter an interview at his office on Tuesday, 28th April, 2026. Nasuga revealed that several aspiring and incumbent SACCO leaders allegedly sold off personal property to raise money for bribing voters, undermining the transparency principles of the government program.
He further noted that many SACCO leaders in Butaleja are facing serious allegations of extortion, with some already arrested. He questioned how individuals implicated in such practices were able to retain leadership positions within the PDM structures.
Nasuga announced that fresh elections will be organized in collaboration with the District Commercial Officer and the PDM focal person.
He emphasized that the new electoral process will involve all SACCO members to ensure fairness and reduce the risk of manipulation. Successful candidates will also undergo formal induction to align with the objectives of the government initiative.
He reiterated that PDM funds are a revolving resource meant to benefit a wider population, urging beneficiaries to repay the money in instalments so that others can also access the funds.
The re-election process for Parish Development Model leaders commenced on April 20 but was marred by disputes in several parishes.
The exercise had been recommended by the Ministry of Local Government following reports of rampant corruption, with some SACCO leaders reportedly treating PDM leadership as a personal business venture.
Reports also indicate that some individuals created ghost SACCOs and bribed both focal persons and voters to secure positions.
Nasuga criticized the previous electoral system, which limited participation to only the top three SACCO leaders, arguing that broader member involvement would help ensure more credible and transparent leadership selection.
