The Internal Security Organisation (ISO) has appealed to Parliament for an increase in its budget in the 2026/27 financial year, saying it needs more money to strengthen intelligence work and tighten oversight of the Parish Development Model (PDM).
Appearing before Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee, ISO officials said the agency requires an extra Shs218 billion to carry out these tasks effectively. The request was presented by Martha Banura, ISO’s deputy director in charge of budget matters, as she defended the organisation’s National Budget Framework Paper.
Banura told legislators that intelligence gathering remains ISO’s core mandate, but the current funding is insufficient. She explained that while the organisation needs Shs195 billion to run intelligence operations next financial year, the draft budget provides only Shs118 billion, leaving a shortfall of nearly Shs77 billion.
ISO is also seeking funds to actively monitor the implementation of the Parish Development Model, a government programme aimed at lifting households out of subsistence farming. According to Banura, PDM-related monitoring requires a recurrent budget of Shs23 billion, yet no money has been allocated for this activity.
The funding request sparked concern among some MPs, who questioned the effectiveness of ISO’s involvement in PDM oversight. Ruhama County MP Benjamin Kamukama said corruption at parish level remains widespread despite the programme being under surveillance.
Kamukama told the committee that during campaign interactions with communities, residents repeatedly complained about bribery and extortion, with some allegedly paying up to Shs200,000 to access PDM funds worth Shs1 million.
In response, ISO officials argued that inadequate funding has limited their ability to detect and prevent abuse. They said additional resources would allow the agency to deploy stronger intelligence networks and monitor PDM operations more closely, helping to identify fraud early and safeguard funds meant for vulnerable households.
If Parliament approves the Shs218 billion request, ISO’s budget for PDM-related work would account for about 20 per cent of the roughly Shs1 trillion the government allocates to the programme each year. Under the model, every parish receives Shs100 million annually to support income-generating activities.
The appeal comes at a time when the PDM continues to face scrutiny over corruption and mismanagement. Since its launch in 2022, several parish chiefs and local leaders have been arrested by police and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit over allegations of stealing or illegally benefiting from the funds.
