Police in Kyotera District are holding Deo Muganzi, a Pentecostal pastor, on allegations of soliciting bribes from beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program. Muganzi, who serves as the senior pastor at Kyanika Fire Deliverance Church in Kabira Sub County, was arrested on Tuesday at Bwemijja Village following orders from the state Minister for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo.
Kyotera District Police Commander, Hassan Musooba, confirmed that the criminal investigation department is still gathering evidence against Pastor Muganzi. Despite the legal requirement to present detained suspects in court within 48 hours, Muganzi remains in custody at Kyotera Central Police Station as investigations continue.
The arrest came after complaints from members of the Bwamijja PDM SACCO, who accused the pastor of demanding between Shs45,000 to Shs120,000 to secure their inclusion on the list of beneficiaries. During a meeting at Bwamijja Village, over 100 residents informed Minister Kasolo that Muganzi had requested these payments, claiming they were necessary to facilitate their participation in the PDM program.
“Our investigations are still ongoing, and when we are done, he will be produced in court,” Commander Musooba stated in an interview on Friday.
The PDM program, launched in 2022, aims to lift 39 percent of Uganda’s 43 million population out of poverty. However, the program has faced challenges, with some implementers being accused of extorting money from beneficiaries or providing them with less financial support than they are entitled to receive.
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