The Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda has urged the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) to ensure effective service delivery to Ugandans.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, as representatives of the ruling Party, you are charged with the task of ensuring that services are provided to the citizenry in the most feasible way. This approach should be a common shared goal across the sub-region,” she said.
The Minister made the remarks today while closing the 3-day capacity building workshop for RDCs/RCCs, DRDCs/DRCCs, ARDCs/ARCCs, RISO and DISOs in Acholi sub-region held at Bomah Hotel, Gulu City.
Hon. Babalanda called upon the participants to make sure that the government’s efforts to ensure that services are provided to the citizenry are not curtailed by lack of accountability, unclear systems, and corruption.
She therefore urged them to be the eyes and ears for the government in their respective districts as the chief monitors.
“If you notice any shortfalls, move very fast and report the matters to higher authorities. Fearing to expose the corrupt means you are working with them. RDCs are chief monitors; I therefore call upon you to perform your monitoring roles without any reservation,” she stressed.
“I want to assure you that the Office of the President will strongly support the RDCs, DRDCs and Assistants that remain focused on fulfilling their mandates. For this reason, I encourage you not to panic over unfounded complaints being reported against you in my Office or to the President. If you are doing the right thing to the displeasure of those abusing Government efforts and doing shoddy public works, then you will be applauded and supported. Conversely to the above, we shall act promptly on those of you who involve yourselves in activities outside your mandate.”
Hon. Babalanda further called upon the RDCs to popularise government programs and projects aimed at transforming Ugandans socially and economically.
“Furthermore, as leaders, you must know that resources are never enough especially amidst the competing priorities at the national level. However, it is our role to appreciate and support the government’s resolve to allocate resources towards improving the livelihoods of its people,” she said.
“Most importantly, you should start mobilising Communities ahead of the 2026 elections by citing the NRM Manifesto Commitments achieved so far in the Acholi sub-region.”
On the other hand, the Minister commended the participants for their efforts in pacifying the Acholi sub-region especially regarding the problematic issue of the balalo.
“You have professionally handled the matter of the balalo resulting in no one inconvenienced and no blood shed in the region. The other area of your encouraging performance is the implementation of the PDM program. We have not heard of corruption reports regarding PDM in the sub-region. I ask you to keep up this performance,” she asserted.
Hon. Babalanda also cautioned the RDCs to desist from involving themselves in the divisive politics in the region.
“The political season is now warming up with several people wanting to stand in the positions of Member of Parliament. You are unifiers and mobilizers. You should not be seen to divide up the population especially on grounds of religion or even culture,” she noted.
Furthermore, the Minister decried the challenge of wetland encroachment in the sub region. She said the issue of encroachment in wetlands and forest reserves is high in this sub-region especially in Gulu.
“There are constructions going up in swamps in Gulu City and the other towns in the sub-region including also farming activities in the wetlands. This is in total defiance of the presidential directive on preserving wetlands,” she said.
“Constructions and farming in swamps blocks waterways and results in flooding and washing away of roads and bridges. This is also contributing to change in the climate of the region thus creating other hardships i.e. climate-induced hunger and limited water for domestic use and animal consumption since the population has to move longer distances.As an interim measure you will need to engage with the District and Urban Authorities to stop approving plans in the wetlands.”
Hon. Babalanda implored the RDCs to carry out several sensitization campaigns articulating the importance of wetlands and the government’s stand on the preservation of wetlands.
“Also, the issue of degradations and encroachments in forest reserves has come up again and again in this subregion. You will need to double your vigilance in protecting these public resources and to follow up on the matters with guidance of the National Forest Authority and local stakeholders,” she said.
“I call upon all of you to take advantage of the media to mobilise the people. It is noted that there are few of you who actually use the media to mobilise the people in this subregion. You have not taken advantage of the media; particularly radio, to sensitise the public. Yet it is a very powerful tool at your disposal.”
The Minister also encouraged the Senior RDCs to mentor their colleagues who are not familiar with situations at the workplace.
“Conflicts usually arise from lack of, or poor supervision and mentorship. The office is in the final stages of designing an online mentorship system codenamed – the NOMS (national online mentorship system) which will help all of you to share your knowledge, experiences and skills with the others. We hope that this will significantly eliminate poor performance arising from lack of consultations, hoarding of knowledge and information and generally having attitudes that stifle innovation and developing others.”
Hon. Babalanda reiterated her call to RDCs to sensitise Ugandans to embrace government poverty alleviation programs like Parish Development Model and Emyooga to uplift their livelihoods.
“I take the opportunity to remind you that you are the chief government communicators in your areas of jurisdiction. You are expected to share information with the public on government policies and programs. Additionally, you are the chief mobilizers in your districts and cities. You are supposed to mobilise the public to participate in government programs aimed at raising people’s incomes,” she said.
“We are addressing the gaps reported in PDM and Emyooga implementation but I need to remind you that as RDCs you represent the President’s interests in these two programs. You know why H.E the President introduced these programs. You know what he needs and you are his shock absorbers. I do not expect you to sleep on your jobs.”
Nevertheless, Hon. Babalanda reminded the RDCs/RCCs that President Museveni appointed two Assistant RDCs/RCCs in each of their respective offices who are largely charged with general mobilisation and promotion of patriotism.
“I hope you have received them in your respective offices and you are offering them with support to enable them to settle in. The two staff proceeded to Kyankwanzi for an induction training and are now able to perform in their roles. Please continue supporting them,” she said.
“However, I need to emphasise that the main reason for the appointment of Assistant RDCs/RCCs was to boost your office operations. Therefore, you should not look at them as competitors. Each one of you has their prescribed roles as stated in the amended version of the guidelines shared with you. The assistants should concentrate largely on mobilisation matters as we head towards 2026. Remember, this is a democratic government and we depend on people’s votes. When we lose power on the account of this, you also automatically lose your job.”
The head of Special Programs at Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC), Ms. Lilian Tatwebwa who represented the Director General of the commission, Dr. Nelson Musoba, discussed the status of HIV/AIDS in Uganda.
She revealed that currently, the People Living With HIV in the country are 1,400,000 with a prevalence rate of 5.2 percent.
She advised the participants that they should sensitise the masses to ensure that they end the current new infections of 52,000 annually if Uganda is to end HIV infections by 2030.
“For us to reach our target in 2030, there are some gaps we need to address. The infections are high because people don’t know their HIV status,” Ms. Tatwebwa said.
“You should mobilise communities to fight negative social cultural practices such as child marriages, gender based violence, alcohol and drug abuse and other behaviours that expose people to the risk of HIV,” she added.
Dr. Shaban Mugerwa, Coordinator-Equity Plan, UAC sensitised the RDCs about the burden of HIV in the country and how the scourge can be reduced among the masses.
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