The minister for Presidency, Ms Milly Babirye Babalanda, has warned resident district commissioners (RDCs) across the country to desist from acts of corruption and engaging in divisive local politics.
The warning is contained in a list of new orders and guidelines issued to all RDCs across the country. The minister also warned the RDCs against operating remotely and said at all times, their offices must remain open to the public.
“Any RDC acting outside their mandate and caught red-handed involved in corrupt acts will be immediately interdicted and charged in the Anti-Corruption Court. RDCs should lead by example. RDCs should not operate from outside their stations. All RDCs should reside in their districts of deployment to avoid operating on remote,” Ms Babalanda said.
She said as chairpersons of the district security committees, the RDCs should have 24/7 telephone access and that their office secretaries should attend to all calls from the public without discrimination.
“To this end, the Secretary, Office of the President is requested to provide all RDC’s offices with movable landlines,” she added.
Several RDCs and district chairpersons have in the past clashed over who wields more powers in the districts.
Ms Babalanda in her directive said RDCs should liaise with the chief administrative officers to access information on government-funded programmes in their districts for effective monitoring.
“As chief government communicators and monitors of public investments at the district level, RDCs should utilise the free government radio programmes every Friday of the week to brief the public on the implementation of government programmes, counter lies of detractors and also respond to public concerns on governance issues,” she said.
The minister also said every Monday, all RDCs will be required to make briefings on matters raised by the public during radio discussions, which require interventions at the national level.
Ms Babalanda has warned the RDCs against monopolising every responsibility in the district and instructed them to share responsibilities with their deputies to the cut red tape and improve services.
“Sharing responsibility will eliminate performance gaps. The head of the RDC Secretariat should encourage all RDCs to share responsibilities with their deputies. The culture of RDCs undermining their deputies and delegating non-staff for official work should stop with immediate effect,” she warned.
According to the new directives, RDCs are not permitted to delegate non-staff members to transact business on behalf of their offices.
She said there has been a culture where individuals crowd in the RDC offices but with the objective of conning unsuspecting members of the public and warned that in the future, “we will be forced to provide uniforms and identification tags for our secretaries and office assistants in the RDC’s offices countrywide to eliminate conmen.”
She reiterated that all RDC offices should be opened to the public every working day at 8am and closed by 5pm.
“If the RDC is out, the deputy RDC or secretary must be available to meet with clients. The culture of having empty and/or closed offices of RDCs has ended today. ,” the minister said.
Ms Babalanda said RDCs should not engage in unproductive local politicking, which involves taking sides and that as central government representatives, they must conform to the public service standing orders.
“I wish to caution RDCs that when you are appointed to this office, you are public servants, and you need to live up to this expectation. You cannot be RDC with an arrogant attitude towards the public. … ,” she said.
A number of RDCs interviewed by this newspaper said while they are ready to abide by the directives, facilitation to their offices must be prompt and effective. However, all those interviewed did not want to be quoted for fear of reprimand.