The Internal Security Organisation (ISO) has asked Parliament for an additional Shs 218 billion in the 2026/27 financial year to boost intelligence gathering and monitor the Parish Development Model (PDM).
The request was made by Martha Banura, the deputy director for budget at ISO, while appearing before the Presidential Affairs Committee chaired by Alex Byarugaba to present the agency’s National Budget Framework Paper.
Banura told MPs that enhanced intelligence collection remains ISO’s top priority. She said the organisation needs Shs 195 billion for this function but has only been allocated Shs 118 billion in the 2026/27 estimates, leaving a funding gap of Shs76.9 billion.
Banura said ISO is also seeking funding to support monitoring of the Parish Development Model. She told the committee that PDM-related operations require a recurrent budget of Shs23 billion, but there is currently no allocation for this activity.
“The other element or the last one is the PDM operations, which require a recurrent budget of Shs 23 billion, nut out of that, there is no allocation, giving us an unfunded of Shs 2.3 billion,” she said.
Benjamin Kamukama the MP for Ruhama questioned why despite ISO’s role in monitoring PDM, the vices still continue.
“We have been in campaigns and we have been interacting with the people, with the masses down there. There is a lot of corruption. People are paying Shs 200,000 to get Shs 1 million,” he said.
ISO officials told MPs that with a bigger budget, they will establish a stronger intelligence and closer monitoring system that will help detect abuse early, deter theft and protect the funds meant for the poorest households.
If approved, the Shs218 billion request by ISO would amount to roughly 20% of the Shs1 trillion that government allocates annually to the PDM programme. Under PDM, each parish receives Shs100 million per year to support household income-generating activities.
The request comes amid persistent reports of theft, diversion and mismanagement of PDM funds across the country.
Since the programme was rolled out in 2022, police and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit have arrested parish chiefs, and local leaders accused of stealing or illegally benefiting from PDM money.
In several districts, beneficiaries have complained that funds are shared among officials, or lent to ineligible recipients.
