The Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda has summoned a section of Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) to defend themselves over the alleged involvement in the disruption of Women’s Day celebrations organized by Women Members of Parliament of different districts.
The districts whose RDCs/ RCCs are being implicated in the incidents include; Mityana, Buvuma, Kiboga, Kasese, Soroti and Hoima.
The Minister summoned the RDCs in question through the Secretary in the Office of the President, Hajji Yunus Kakande.
According to Hon. Babalanda, the commissioners are public servants who are governed by the Public Service Standing Orders of Uganda and were also given additional guidelines in form of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide them on their mandate.
She says once found guilty, the RDCs will face disciplinary action as per the Public Service Standing Orders.
“The Office of the President has equipped the RDCs RCCs with enough training and we have on several occasions lectured them on their roles,” the Minister emphasized.
The development follows the Women MPs’ petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Rt Hon. Anita Among requesting her to lead them in a demonstration showing dissatisfaction over the violation of the rights of women and the threat to their lives which also violates the Constitution.
The MPs in their petition say security operatives from Uganda Police and UPDF on orders of the RDCs and RCCs without justification stormed the venues, immediately fired teargas, live bullets and splashed coloured peppered water towards the congregation, thus disrupting the meetings.
They say the same situation happened in Ngora and Wakiso last year.
“…That Parliament orders Ministers for Presidency, Internal Affairs and Gender to present comprehensive reports to the House detailing our concerns and what they have done in this gross violation of the rights of women and the Constitution,” the MPs asked the Speaker.
They also want parliament to compel the Minister of Presidency to appear in the Presidential Affairs Committee with the implicated RDCs in the affected Districts so that they can personally account for their actions.
On the other hand, Police’s Professional Standards Unit on Monday opened an investigation into the alleged beating and torture of the Buvuma Woman MP Suzan Mugabi and some of her supporters by their officers while stopping them from holding the Women’s Day Celebrations at Kyanja village, Bweema sub-county in Buvuma District on 19 April, 2023.
“As soon as the video came to the attention of the IGP, he immediately ordered the PSU to institute inquiries and ensure the officers who committed acts of violence are held accountable,” said Fred Enanga, the Police Spokesperson.
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