Local govts receive 167 laptops to strengthen PDM oversight
“The laptops are strictly for the respective accounting officers, internal auditors and planners whose strong departments, out of the 14, help the government to provide quality service delivery under decentralisation,” said Kumumanya.
Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary, Ben Kumumanya handing over the laptops to beneficiaries at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on Tuesday. (Photos by Isaac Nuwagaba)
Isaac Nuwagaba
Journalist @New Vision
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The Ministry of Local Government has released 167 laptop computers to internal auditors and planning units in local governments to enhance the monitoring of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds across districts, cities and municipal councils.
In conjunction with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, the government is implementing the Resource Enhancement and Accountability Programme (REAP) to increase resource mobilisation, improve planning, enhance public investment management, and strengthen accountability for quality, effective and efficient service delivery.
Ben Kumumanya, the ministry’s permanent secretary, while handing over the laptops at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on Thursday, May 8, 2025, said the ministry procured the laptops for selected local governments to support the operations of internal audit and planning units in strengthening the monitoring of government funds.
“The laptops are strictly for the respective accounting officers, internal auditors and planners whose strong departments, out of the 14, help the government to provide quality service delivery under decentralisation,” he said.
This is part of the provisions of Article 176(2)(e) of the Local Government Act, which provides that appropriate measures shall be taken to enable local government units to execute their mandates under their jurisdiction, he confirmed.
“From the PDM reports we are getting, sh250m per parish so far released has been disbursed. The accounting officers are well aware of the challenges which were disturbing the implementation of the government programme, but now we are at a stabilisation stage,” he added.
Crackdown on corrupt parish chiefs, SACCO leaders
While addressing the workshop for local government planners on the implementation of the PDM, he emphasised the government’s commitment to cracking down on parish chiefs and Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCO) leaders who embezzle funds meant for the poor.
The Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary, Ben Kumumanya in the group photo with beneficiaries of laptops at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on Tuesday. 
“We are dealing with the wrong and corrupt characters at the parish and sub-county levels. If the parish chief or SACCO leaders are found to have mismanaged any process in PDM funds, [they] should be arrested and prosecuted,” Kumumanya instructed.
The government adopted the PDM as a strategy to move 39% of households still stuck in subsistence into the money economy. The PDM is a flagship programme by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, aimed at transforming the socio-economic lives of Ugandans at the grassroots level.
“The purpose of these laptops is to digitise and streamline PDM activities, enhancing transparency, tracking fund disbursement and ensuring accountability in fund management,” he insisted.
Without strengthening the capacity, motivation and resources of district planners, Uganda risks undermining the success of the PDM, Vision 2040 popularisation, and delivery of the NRM manifesto, Kumumanya emphasised.
Gideon Mugurusi, president of the Uganda National Planners’ Union, said the success of the PDM will require organised, integrated, well-coordinated and results-based efforts, which involve creating data systems that constantly feed real-time information to the entire government concerning various interventions at the parish level.
“The data generated and interpreted will improve the understanding of the different and unique characteristics of households across the country and hence provide the basis for the delivery of targeted interventions,” Mugurusi, one of the beneficiaries, said.
In line with this, Mugurusi observed that the lack of Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and poor internet connectivity in most local governments have impeded the coordination and monitoring of PDM activities by planners.
“Data collection and management require the use of equipment such as computers, scanners, recorders and cameras. However, there is a problem of a lack of this equipment in some local governments,” he reminded.
This is further compounded by the lack of internet connectivity at the local government level to support data generation, processing, analysis and dissemination.
Few districts connected to internet
“Most districts lack internet to facilitate information management. Only 58 of the 135 district headquarters are connected to the National Backbone Infrastructure. Besides, there is also an unreliable power supply to support ICT equipment for handling statistical matters in some local governments,” Mugurusi insisted.
The government’s ambitious support targets aim to bridge the digital divide, particularly in underserved and rural areas, ensuring that all local governments have access to reliable and up-to-date technology.
Emmanuel Victor Kimbowa, assistant commissioner in the policy and planning division, revealed that the Ministry has now resolved the long-standing technology gaps.
“Now that all planners and auditors are fully equipped, we are in a stronger position to overcome digital limitations and improve the implementation of the PDM,” he said.
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