Govt Pays 559 Households in Shs 80bn Cattle Restocking Plan
With just weeks to the end of the financial year, government has so far paid only 559 out of the targeted 16,000 households under the Shs80 billion Cattle Restocking Programme for Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions, the Office of the Prime Minister has said. Each beneficiary is supposed to receive Shs5 million to buy five […] The post Govt Pays 559 Households in Shs 80bn Cattle Restocking Plan appeared first on Daily Star.
Black News 
With just weeks to the end of the financial year, government has so far paid only 559 out of the targeted 16,000 households under the Shs80 billion Cattle Restocking Programme for Acholi, Lango, and Teso sub-regions, the Office of the Prime Minister has said.
Each beneficiary is supposed to receive Shs5 million to buy five cows—three heifers and two bulls. But nearly a month to the 30th June 2026 deadline, only Shs2.8 billion has been disbursed, representing a paltry 3.5 percent of the budget.
According to a statement issued on 1st June 2026, the delays are largely blamed on four local governments that have not uploaded beneficiary lists onto the Parish Development Management Information System (PDMIS): Lamwo, Nwoya, Pader, and Agago districts.
“Implementation has, however, been slowed by delays from four local governments that have not uploaded beneficiary lists onto the system,” the OPM said, warning that this is affecting verification and payment processing.
So far, 11,504 beneficiaries out of the 16,000 target have been uploaded, representing 71.9 percent progress. But without data from the four lagging districts, the verification chain remains broken.
No Cash for Parish Chiefs
In a bid to head off the kind of leakage that has plagued previous agricultural support programmes, the government clarified that no funds will pass through parish chiefs or parish development committees.
“Beneficiaries are advised not to sign or thumbprint any document confirming receipt of funds before the funds are credited to their registered account or mobile money number,” the statement read.
Payments are being made via the PearlBank_Wendi mobile wallet, a shift from physical cash handouts that have in the past been notorious for ghost beneficiaries and extortion.
But the OPM did not explain why, if the system is functional, only 559 households have been paid nearly a year after President Yoweri Museveni first guided on the programme in November 2025.
Political Foot-Dragging
The restocking initiative was adopted by Cabinet following the President’s directive, targeting 33 districts across the three sub-regions hard hit by cattle rustling and years of livestock depletion.
But political and technical leadership in the four non-compliant districts are now under pressure to expedite data uploads. The OPM warned that “all district leaders and technical teams are urged to expedite the submission… to avoid further delays.”
The statement also urged local leaders to “be vigilant” during selection and verification of beneficiaries, and to strengthen the process “to avoid fraudulent practices”—an indirect acknowledgment that ghost beneficiaries and political capture remain risks.
What’s Next?
With the financial year ending on 30th June 2026, government is racing to complete first-phase disbursements. However, unless the four recalcitrant districts act within days, the target will almost certainly be missed.
For now, the OPM says it remains “committed to ensuring that all eligible beneficiaries receive support… in a transparent and accountable manner.” But for the over 15,000 households still waiting, transparency means little without the cows.
The post Govt Pays 559 Households in Shs 80bn Cattle Restocking Plan appeared first on Daily Star.
