President Museveni has responded to a report by the late Director General of ISO, Brig Charles Oluka, regarding the Parish Development Model Funds. In a post on X, Museveni indicated that he only reviewed Oluka’s findings after his return to Kampala from a tour of the Lango subregion.
Oluka’s report highlighted instances of Police officers extorting and defrauding residents involved in the PDM project in the region. Consequently, Museveni has instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to revoke the Police bonds granted to these allegedly corrupt officers.
These officials had been apprehended following Oluka’s report, released on January 25th, but were subsequently freed. The President stated that these individuals should be prosecuted, and anyone failing to carry out this order will be held responsible.
“Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu,
I read a report written by the late Oluka on the 25th of January, 2025, regarding the corrupt officials in Lango who were extorting money from the PDM beneficiaries. They were arrested but were released on police bond,” Museveni posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday.
“Today, 2nd February, I have directed the IGP to cancel those police bonds and make sure that they are tried,” the post further reads.
“Any official who does not do his duty in prosecuting those thieves (suspected) will be held accountable,” Museveni posted.
It is worth noting that about a month ago, the President directed the Police to stop granting bonds to suspected village thieves. This directive was motivated by their obstruction of the PDM initiative, as mentioned in his end-of-year address where he asserted that any Police Officer who provided bail to these offenders would face consequences.
“There is widespread theft of livestock, and the leniency shown by the police and courts towards such criminals by granting them police bonds and court bails is unacceptable. I have discussed the issue of bails with His Lordship the Chief Justice and have prohibited the issuance of police bonds. Any police personnel who issue a police bond to an individual accused of stealing from a village while the case is pending trial will be held fully accountable,” Museveni cautioned.
In his view, releasing these offenders would only exacerbate insecurity.
However, Museveni’s directive has faced opposition from the Uganda Law Society (ULS), which argues that he is overreaching and misusing his authority.
“The Uganda Law Society strongly opposes President Museveni’s asserted ban on police bonds and bail for those accused of misappropriating PDM and Emyooga funds (incorrectly labeled as ‘village thieves’). This action violates Articles 23, 28(3)(a), and 99 of the Constitution and serves as a reminder of the oppressive colonial legacy of mass incarceration that remains a challenge for our nation,” stated Isaac Ssemakadde, President of the Uganda Law Society.
“No individual should be unjustly deprived of their freedom due to bureaucratic failures and overreach. It is crucial to dismantle the police-to-prison pipeline that disproportionately affects the impoverished, civil society activists, and political dissenters, and to create a new direction that emphasizes justice, equality, and human rights.”
This situation arises simultaneously with Museveni’s rejection of the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding the trial of civilians accused of military offenses in the General Court Martial. He asserted that this ruling would be contested and annulled.
