Police say 429 of the 552 suspects have appeared in court as a nationwide crackdown targets alleged theft, embezzlement and extortion involving Parish Development Model funds.
Police have arrested 552 people suspected of stealing or mismanaging funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM), warning that the crackdown will be extended to more parts of the country.
Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said 429 suspects had so far appeared in court following an operation launched on August 4, 2026, targeting individuals accused of diverting money meant to help households transition from subsistence production to the money economy.
“Theft and other forms of abuse of these funds undermine this objective and deny the intended beneficiaries the opportunity to improve their lives,” Kituuma said.
The operation has covered 12 police regional jurisdictions, including Karamoja, Teso, Bugisu, Sebei, Bukedi, Busoga and parts of Buganda.
According to Kituuma, the suspects include 251 SACCO leaders, 81 parish chiefs, 25 parish development committee leaders, six local council leaders, 23 representatives of local leaders, 23 teachers and five district commercial officers, among others.
They face allegations ranging from theft, forgery and embezzlement to obtaining money by false pretences, conspiracy to defraud, extortion and cheating.
Kituuma said some suspects allegedly used forged documents to divert funds, while others demanded illegal payments from beneficiaries before processing their money.
Police have also warned that officers implicated in the alleged abuse will face disciplinary action.
“We brought on board the Professional Standards Unit, so that where our own personnel are implicated, they also face the same discipline and music,” Kituuma said.
The operation brings together several agencies, including the Criminal Investigations Directorate, Directorate of Crime Intelligence, Police Professional Standards Unit, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Internal Security Organisation.
Police say the crackdown will extend to regions that have not yet been covered, including parts of western Uganda. Kituuma urged people who made illegal deductions from PDM funds or extorted beneficiaries to refund the money.
“If you know you made deductions illegally, refund. Stop arguing, just go and correct the process, because it is so certain these teams are coming,” he warned.
Kituuma said the expansion of the operation was only a matter of time.
“The operation is coming. Without a doubt, it is a question of when, not whether,” he said.
The Parish Development Model is a government initiative intended to move households from subsistence production into the money economy through parish-level financial support and enterprise development. Police say the alleged diversion of funds undermines the programme’s intended beneficiaries.