By Andrew Baba Buluba
Close to Fourty Resident District/ City Commissioners( RDCs/ RCCs), Deputies and Assistants are rumored to have already asked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to allow them go and try their luck elsewhere in furtherance of their service to the country, majority as Members of Parliament. Notable among these distinguished servants of Uganda are former Kampala and Masaka Resident City Commissioner, Hudu Hussein, Bukomansimbi’s Ssalongo Pax Kalema, Soroti Peter Pex, Iganga’s Wandera Sadala, Naava Masitulah of Nyendo Mukungwe in Masaka City, Deborah Mwesigwa of Kamuli, George Abdullah, to mention but a few.
There had been media rumors that President Museveni had moved to stop the impending influx of his key officials into political service but this was immediately trashed by Presidency Minister, Milly Babirye Babalanda. She dismissed the reports that the Head of State had met the departing officials and opted to clear only twelve of them for the marathon next year, electing to keep others within the ranks under Babalanda’s tutelage. The minister stressed that it is everyone’s right to participate in politics, adding that as the Presidency, they had only offered legal guidance for a smooth transition.
“I wish to clarify that H.E the President
@KagutaMuseveni
has not stopped RDCs/DRDCs/RCCs/DRCCs or Assistant RDCs/RCCs from standing for any political office as it is being circulated online.
The President hasn’t held any meeting to stop anyone, or cause them to desist from contesting. It’s everybody’s constitutional right to contest for a position as long as they follow the law.
As presidency we only guided RDCs on how to comply with the law.
It is, therefore, my hope that those interested have accordingly complied. Please disregard the rumors circulating! BMB,”
Whoever succeeds through the rigorous contest on the road to the hugely coveted August House will join the endless list of national leaders who have started their trade under the Babalanda-led cabinet docket. These, notably, include, Prime Minister, Robina Nabbanja, Agriculture Minister, Frank Tumwebaze, Junior Lands Minister, Persis Namuganza, former Defense Minister, Vicent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, Babalanda herself, alongside several members of Parliament.
This has become a trend that has punctuated every pre general election period, with many opting to continue their career development elsewhere. This trend has birthed a confusion over whether it’s driven by pure ambition or disillusionment.
It’s public knowledge that RDCs and RCCs remain among the least remunerated senior public officials, taking home 1.7, 0.99 and 0.67 for full RDCs, Deputies and Assistants respectively. This has prompted some speculations that the officers mostly eye better pay at Parliament to give up their already respected positions. Hudu Hussein, has however, give the most conclusive explanation to this school of thought, further opening the discussion on the main motivation factors for the trend.
” I feel I have achieved everything there has been to achieve. I have been mentored by the very best and in the best interest of my country, I feel the experience I have gathered over the years can best be but to use while serving in a different capacity. Like Hudu, Wandera Sadala also feels its self defeating and career cowardice to feel comfortable serving in one capacity for more than necessary even if you identify gaps that need new energy, force and faces.
Naava Masitulah, in defense of her decision to ditch the Presidency for the legislature, she reasons that the experience she has gained in the last five years is just enough to seek a bigger challenge. It should be noted that Naava had throughout to join Parliament as a Central Regional Youth Representative, narrowly losing the contest in the NRM Primaries in 2020. Driven through the stethoscope, Naava’s reasoning, perhaps, makes a lot of sense. In the district, or City, the RDC ranks as the topmost most official, commanding security, service delivery and acting as the government’s chief communicator. Apart from legislation, the RDC leads the monitoring and supervision functions in the district, key roles of a Members of Parliament. The RDC is also charge with collecting people’s views and forwarding to the president to aide in community compatible policy formation. Coupled with the mobilization function which majorly involve addressing people’s challenges and communicating government policy decisions, the RDC office offers the most effective platform to mold the best legislative seeds, and the most refined candidates for Cabinet Ministers. And this trend doesn’t seem to wither out anytime soon. Under Babalanda, the Presidency has broadened its scope with nearly 400 Assistant Resident District and City Commissioners joining the ranks. These, under the strict mentorship and guidance of senior RDCs will largely be monitored for possible key leadership roles in years ahead. It’s thus not surprising that while appointing these officials, the president emphasizes the minimum requirement for one to be a Member of Parliament or Minister, which is A’ level. The expert leadership under Babalanda and Eunice Kakanda has obviously improved the capacity of RDCs to take key leadership roles in the country.
The Writer is The Assistant Resident City Commissioner for Nyendo Mukungwe- Masaka City Division.
