The Government of Uganda has purchased 163 laptops to enhance data collection and accountability for the Parish Development Model (PDM) program. These laptops will be distributed to chief administrative officers (CAOs) and town clerks across the country.
The handover ceremony took place on May 14 in Kampala, where Information Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi officially presented the laptops to Raphael Magyezi, the Minister of Local Government. Baryomunsi emphasized that these laptops will play a crucial role in tracking the progress of PDM initiatives and ensuring that funds are used effectively.
“We are confident that these laptops will help us achieve remarkable results in the Parish Development Model,” said Baryomunsi. Although he did not disclose the cost of the laptops, he highlighted their importance in revolutionizing data collection and monitoring.
The laptops are intended to cover all districts, cities, and some municipalities. Magyezi explained that the laptops will enable CAOs and town clerks to maintain communication with parish chiefs, gather reports from the field, and forward this information to central offices.
Magyezi further explained that the laptops will be officially handed over to the CAOs and town clerks during a meeting at Hotel Africana on May 17. He noted that these laptops are particularly timely as the PDM program moves into its next phase, which focuses on ensuring that funds are used for their intended purposes.
“Initially, we faced challenges in distributing the PDM money to the beneficiaries. Now that the money has reached them, we need to monitor its utilization. The CAOs will use these laptops to ensure that the funds are going into the planned enterprises,” Magyezi said.
On March 20, 2024, the Ministry of Finance reported that 10,594 savings and credit cooperative organizations (SACCOs) had each received 100 million shillings as part of the PDM initiative. The total budgeted amount of 1,059.4 billion shillings was fully disbursed to these SACCOs, and the Auditor General confirmed that 10,584 SACCOs received their funds.
The new laptops will assist local government officials in tracking how these funds are utilized, aiming to improve transparency and efficiency in the implementation of the Parish Development Model.
