By KT Reporter
Milly Babalanda, the Minister in the Office of the President, has cautioned the president’s representatives in districts and cities against engaging in divisive politics. She warned that those found taking sides in Ankole’s political affairs would be held accountable as individuals before the Rewards and Sanctions Committee.
“RDCs are not supervised by politicians, nor do they take orders from them. You are bound to make costly mistakes when you take this route,” she emphasized. Babalanda reiterated that the commissioners serve as unifiers and mobilizers, stressing that they should not be seen as dividing the population along political, religious, or cultural lines.
Her message was delivered by Dr. Dan Sekiboobo, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Research, at the closure of a three-day workshop for RDCs, Deputy RDCs, and their Assistants from the Greater Ankole sub-region. The training focused on equipping them with key skills in service delivery, security, conflict management, political involvement, and wealth creation.
She urged them to work collaboratively in eliminating obstacles to service delivery, such as poor accountability, corruption, and unclear systems, warning that failure to expose corrupt practices makes them complicit.
Dr. Zepher Karyabakabo, the Director of Policy Research and Programming at the Uganda AIDS Commission, called on RDCs to prioritize raising awareness about the increasing HIV infections in the Ankole sub-region. He noted that some districts in the region have a prevalence rate higher than the national average of 5.6%.
Sister Grace Akiror, the Deputy Head of the RDC Secretariat, emphasized the need for commissioners to ensure that HIV/AIDS messages reach local communities, particularly high-risk populations. She revealed that the Uganda AIDS Commission has recorded a rise in new infections and, with the decline in donor funding, the government is exploring local strategies to curb the spread of the virus and implement preventive measures-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
