Fred Musinguzi, the Kitagwenda District Commercial Officer (DCO), is reportedly on the run after being accused of extorting money from parish chiefs and SACCO leaders through the Parish Development Model (PDM).

The issue has generated severe questions about corruption in the operation of the PDM plan, which aims to improve local communities through structured enterprise growth.
Musinguzi's responsibilities as the district's PDM coordinator include advising enterprise selection, facilitating training, and managing the initiative's production.

However, the scheme has been hampered by corruption charges, with reports claiming that he has demanded payments before releasing funds for beneficiaries.
The Kitagwenda District Resident Commissioner (RDC), Nicholus Nuwagira, verified the charges and stated that his office had received complaints about the DCO's wrongdoing.

"We have received information that the commercial officer has been abusing his position in the implementation of the PDM scheme. "My office is determined to put an end to such behavior," Nuwagira stated.
Musinguzi had already been charged with corruption. In July 2023, the then-Kitagwenda RDC ordered him to return more than shs 30 million that he allegedly stole from Emyooga SACCOs.

During a recent district council meeting, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) disclosed plans to transfer parish and sub-county heads, as well as town clerks, as part of a larger strategy to improve transparency and accountability in the PDM program.
Attempts to contact Musinguzi for comment were successful, but he declined to reply to the claims against him.


As investigations continue, Kitagwenda authorities remain committed to upholding public service integrity and ensuring that the PDM initiative benefits its intended recipients without interference from corruption.