Police say 552 suspects have been arrested and 499 taken to court since a nationwide operation targeting the theft and abuse of Parish Development Model funds began in August.
Police have arrested 552 suspects in an ongoing crackdown on the theft and abuse of funds under the Parish Development Model (PDM), with 499 of them already appearing in court.
The operation, which began on August 4, 2026, brings together security agencies, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) and courts to pursue individuals suspected of stealing, diverting or illegally obtaining money meant for beneficiaries.
Police say the operation has so far covered 12 police regional jurisdictions in Teso, Sebei, Bukedi, Karamoja and parts of Buganda, including Luweero.
The suspects include individuals occupying positions of responsibility in local communities and public institutions, among them Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCO) leaders, parish chiefs, local council leaders, teachers and district commercial officers.
According to the figures released by Police, 231 SACCO leaders have been arrested, alongside 81 parish chiefs, 23 local council leaders, 23 teachers and five district commercial officers.
Police say suspects are facing charges including theft, forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to defraud and cheating, depending on the allegations against them.
The force warned that the operation would extend to other parts of the country, cautioning anyone involved in the theft, diversion or extortion of PDM funds that they would be pursued.
“The theft and other forms of abuse of these funds undermine the government programme,” Police said, warning that the operation was a question of when, rather than whether, investigators would reach other areas.
Those who extorted money from intended beneficiaries have also been urged to refund it.
The Parish Development Model is a government initiative designed to move households from subsistence production into the money economy by supporting income-generating activities through parish-level structures. SACCOs play a central role in receiving and disbursing funds to eligible beneficiaries.
The alleged theft and diversion of the money risk denying intended beneficiaries access to capital for agricultural production, small businesses and other household enterprises.
Police have urged those involved in the abuse of the programme to return the money, as investigations and prosecutions continue.