At least 18 parish chiefs in Obongi District have been interdicted following allegations of mismanagement and misappropriation of 163 million shillings under the Parish Development Model, a government poverty alleviation programme. According to interdiction letters issued by the district's Chief Administrative Officer Benson Otim Humphrey on October 30, the officers are accused of including 163 ghost and ineligible beneficiaries on PDM lists, potentially exposing funds meant for legitimate recipients to abuse. The affected officers, which include two acting Senior Assistant Chief Administrative Officers, began receiving notices of their suspension on November 3.
Obongi District has received more than 11.4 billion shillings under the PDM since the scheme's rollout across its 28 parishes. The interdiction action followed formal reports from security agencies, particularly the Office of the Resident District Commissioner, whose staff identified irregularities during routine monitoring exercises. Deputy Resident District Commissioner Paul Abaho said his office uncovered corruption in the programme's implementation and subsequently requested that the CAO use established legal procedures against the implicated officials.
Otim confirmed the interdictions were warranted and explained that the action was taken after administrative deadlines had passed. He stressed that reversing the interdictions would require following established administrative procedures and that relevant laws and regulations would guide the handling of the case. The matter involves coordination among multiple offices including the RDC, the Police Criminal Investigations Directorate, the CAO's office and the District Rewards and Sanctions Committee.
The CAO clarified that interdiction does not constitute a final disciplinary decision and that the affected officers would have opportunities to defend themselves through established processes. Obongi District LC V Chairperson Hajji Abibu Buga Khemis warned that the suspensions could affect service delivery if the matter is not resolved promptly, as administrative proceedings could take considerable time. He called for expeditious handling in accordance with legal and administrative procedures to avoid prolonging the interdictions. Abaho said the government would not tolerate public officers engaging in corruption that undermines the PDM's objective of improving household incomes through wealth creation and poverty reduction.