Hudu Husein is the former Kampala Resident City Commissioner, shot into the limelight for his uncompromising rigidity in implementing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s coronavirus guidelines between 2020 and 2022 and pioneering the implementation of a smart city. When the president shuffled RDCs and RCCs on 23. 03. In 2022, Hudu was transferred to Yumbe, igniting a protracted debate as one of the highlights of the reshuffle upon which he become the news-making transfer.
In our series of “RDCs a year later,” Mr Hudu gives an insight into what his first year since redeployment has been, including success stories and challenges. He relives his life in Yumbe, including an encounter with a threatening group of grey hair smokers, a snakeskin-smoking group of drug users, high rates of School dropouts, defilement, cross-border security and cattle theft.
While responding to his much-publicised transfer from the capital to Yumbe last year, Hussein revealed that unlike the majority of the public that seemed surprised by the announcement, there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary for him.
On why it seemed like a cause for celebration by a section of Kampala residents, Hudu explained that his strict implementation of the Ministry of Health guidelines aimed at combating COVID-19 which he argues was crucial for saving lives and enforcement of relocating street vendors was partly responsible. Regardless of all the bad publicity that continues surrounding him, he remains proud of the work he did during that time because there is evidence that it contributed to saving lives and decongesting downtown and securing the city.
On his unrelenting approach towards ensuring the cleanliness of the city, Hudu argues that Kampala is the face of the country hence it should be in the interest of any leader to see to it that it reflects the image of the country as its capital all over the world.
Even though many people chose not to understand him and consequently branded him an enemy for his well-tensioned approach, Hudu says he nonetheless remains proud his work bore a lasting positive impact upon the city and the people’s cries for a cleaner and pothole-less Kampala exonerates him.
“I still insist that street and roadside vending makes Kampala city look bad and insecure. It’s a capital city and it should be respected as such. I was opposed to a dark city and wanted a green and well-lit-up City. These things made some like me and some mighty ones dislike me. But I know that you know that Kampala was becoming better even at the cost of my reputation, something I didn’t really mind because as I have said, we are like soldiers “
Back to his transfer to Yumbe, Hudu reveals that it was the most doubling experience of his life that has since turned out to bring loads of learning. He recalls that the news of his transfer was well received by him since he had always known that transfers in their trade solely lie in the hands of the appointing authority and, therefore, it doesn’t matter when it comes and where it takes him.
” We are like soldiers. We expect to be moved at any time and since no RDC has ever been in a single station for life, I wouldn’t be offended by the move.” He recounts. He stated that the office of the RDC is constitutional and the roles outlined under Article 203 include heading the security committee of the district. As head of security, he has a duty to act and serve like a soldier whose life is ready to be put on the line and spent for the nation.
As for his family, he reveals that the news of his move to Yumbe wasn’t the best. It should be remembered that the news of the reshuffle came just a day before the RCC’s marriage ceremony. It was also the same time he was about to seat for the much dreaded oral exams at the Law Development Centre coupled with seating for his Master’s exams interchangeably. The impending relocation to a new station meant that he wasn’t going to have enough time with his newly married wife and concentrate on the bar course. His family had to bear the weight of the circumstances in joint service to the nation.
“That was probably the most challenging time for me. It was an opportunity to get the best out of me. But even under the intense pressure and uncomfortable media attention, I passed all my oral exams and actually passed my Bar course except for one paper which I’ll seat as a supplementary. For me, I have had a very successful year considering that most people who are light of heart would probably have ignored the academia, or had issues in their marriage and perhaps perceived the government as insensitive. For me, it was an opportunity and I used it to the fullest “
In Yumbe, Hudu recounts how humbled he was by the special reception he received from the people there. He says he was overwhelmed by the fact that Yumbe people appeared to appreciate his works in Kampala better, they expected me to bring the city to Yumbe and this was a major consolation amid the negative talk that was still going on in the media. In fact, his transfer to Lwengo left lots of gloom on the faces of many who felt he should have continued with them for a little longer in Yumbe.
“In Yumbe, I had to monitor the execution of a budget of more than 100 billion shillings. That also shows the level of trust the President had in me. You can imagine, 100 billion shillings per year, that’s what Yumbe receives. And by the time I left, all except about 3 SACCOS hadn’t received their Emyooga funds due to organizational incompetence. While those who had defaulted as was the case in Lwengo District were meant to cough out the money. Actually, just like I fought corruption in Emyooga funds in Kampala, in Yumbe, I left the corrupt SACCO heads detained. For me, government programs are the top most priority”
Amidst all the deviations, Hudu says he has always opted to remain steadfast while not forgetting his cardinal role of monitoring and oversight as the representative of the President in the district. He boasts that the time he spent in Yumbe was a very exciting learning experience that has largely contributed to his thriving national perspective on things which would have not been possible had he been stationed at one place since his appointment. He notes that Yumbe helped him obtain a wider exposure to issues of a totally different design from Central Uganda where he had been all along. For example, as a border district, I was mainly preoccupied with cross-border issues including hosting the Governor and a delegation of ministers, MPs and Commissioners of the South Equatorial state of South Sudan to discuss the geopolitical issues on behalf of Uganda, addressing refugee issues with national and international NGOs, UNHCR, among others.
“I have now been to Buikwe District, Kawempe Division, Kampala Capital City, Yumbe District and now Lwengo District. I am a better RDC than I was when I first got deployed and I am always grateful for the insight of the appointing authority whenever he identifies me as suitable for a particular station and, I will always be willing to serve. For instance, I left Yumbe having represented the president in cross-border security meetings with South Sudan and established an inter-border peacekeeping committee given the war situation at the border between Uganda and Sudan ” Hudu boasts.
One of the recent successes of Hudu Hussein was the news catching halting of the disbursement of PDM funds in Lwengo District. He claims that when the list of beneficiaries was presented to him, it included well-to-do people, leaders like councillors and technocrats with connections yet it is meant for the poor. This is being reversed.
He explains that over time, he has created rapport with his skills in mobilization through promoting teamwork and peaceful existence which has always sowed seeds of harmony and comradeship. In Lwengo for instance, he reports having found a dangerously divided district with fights among district leaders threatening service delivery but through critical mobilisation, he has ably pacified the district and finally been able to bring all stakeholders together bringing them together to hold the first and unprecedented district NRM liberation day celebrations in Uganda. It should be emphasized that Hudu’s mobilization skills are not new having been famed for organizing especially delinquent youths in Kawempe under the Kawempe Peacekeeping Vanguard and rehabilitation initiative (KPVRI) to desist from criminality and riots. These were guided to alternative means of survival. He also managed to rearrange the operations and face of Kalerwe, Kiseka and Bwaise Markets while still in Kawempe and later Owino and Nakasero markets when transferred to Kampala. Hudu boasts of uniting the taxi industry and successfully establishing the now-function Uganda Taxi Operators Federation (UTOF). These were so disunited, taxis parking and picking passengers from any part of the city. Today they are well organised.
He says that his earlier experience as a Guild President for IUIU and as a National General Secretary for the NRM Youth League coupled with his knowledge of the law as a Lawyer has been vital for him to settle in wherever he has been sent, including Yumbe where he encountered some unique challenges.
He highlighted the disturbing plight of drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, high school dropouts and cattle theft which he and the district had to deal with in Yumbe. He notes with concern that there were cases of young people smoking grey hair and snake skins which left the elderly in constant fear. He explained that he had received briefs that smokers particularly enjoyed human grey hair as it made them more intoxicated than other drugs, including Opium.
This, he said was a security risk because much as in most cases smokers collected shaved grey hair, the elderly feared that they could soon resort to getting it by force.
Hudu called for the involvement of government and Non-Government organisations to take part in rehabilitation efforts for the youth since cases of drug abuse are too rampant in the district and could soon result in a catastrophe.
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