The 3-day residential workshop for Resident District Commissioners and Internal Security Officers from Busoga Sub-region at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja City closed on Wednesday 19th August,2026 with Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Milly Babirye Babalanda, delivering a charge rooted in presence, accountability and results.
The workshop ran from Monday 17th to Wednesday 19th August at the RDC Secretariat in Jinja where the Secretary and PS in the Office of the President Hajji Yunus Kakande opened.
It brought together Senior Presidential Advisors, Commissioners, Resident District Commissioners, Deputy RDCs, Assistant RDCs, RISOs, DISOs and technical officers from all districts and cities in Busoga.
In her closing remarks, the ever-joyous Minister Babalanda delivered warm greetings from H.E. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and H.E. First Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni.
She told the officers that the value of the three days of frank and constructive discussions will be measured by the change Government and the people of Busoga see when they return to their stations.
Message From the Minister: Performance, Transparency and Field Presence.
Minister Babalanda said the responsibility before RDCs is far greater than occupying an office or attending meetings. It is about being present where Government programmes are implemented.
“You cannot effectively monitor Government programmes from your offices, you must go to the field, establish the facts and engage the people who are supposed to benefit from Government interventions”, she said.
The minister tasked the team to know whether projects are progressing according to plan, whether funds and other public resources are being properly utilized, whether contractors and implementing agencies are performing their obligations and whether the intended beneficiaries are actually receiving the services for which Government has provided resources.
She also asked the RDCs to up their game in a coordinated and transparent manner and to involve the media so that everyone is abreast of what is taking place in their midst.
“Let the people in your districts know what Government is doing. Invite the media, document what you find, and communicate openly. Government business should not be a secret,” she directed.
On monitoring, the Minister said it must move beyond visits and reports. Where a problem is identified, RDCs must establish its cause, identify the responsible institution or person, communicate through the appropriate channels and follow up until corrective action is taken. Where implementation is satisfactory, that too must be documented and acknowledged.
“Your reports should provide Government with reliable information for decision-making and should assist responsible institutions to correct weaknesses and improve implementation,” she said.
The Minister emphasized a firm stand against corruption, misuse of public resources and abuse of office. “Protect Government programmes and assets from diversion, manipulation, negligence and personal interests. Where there are credible indications of wrongdoing, do not ignore them. At the same time, the fight against corruption must be conducted responsibly. Let the evidence speak, follow due process and ensure that your actions are guided by the law.”
She called for unity within Government structures. “RDCs, DRDCs, ARDCs, RISOs, DISOs, local government and technical departments have different responsibilities, but you are part of the same Government system. You cannot achieve meaningful results if you spend your time competing with or working against one another. The people of Uganda expect Government to work.”
On politics, Minister Babalanda advised officers not to be distracted by propaganda, rumors or commentary.
“Do not spend Government time engaging in political arguments. Your most effective response is performance. When a health facility is functioning, when a road is properly implemented, when a government programme reaches its intended beneficiaries, Government is demonstrating its value through action.”
She also addressed speculation about appointments and reshuffles saying they should instead focus on their work and leave the rest to the appointing authority.
“Stop spending valuable time on matters outside your control. Appointments are for the competent Authorities. Your responsibility is to perform the duties attached to the office you currently hold. Those who demonstrate commitment, competence and results will continue to earn the confidence of Government.”
Drawing from scripture, she sent the team out with one clear mission. Like Jesus commissioned His disciples, Babalanda sent out the team with one clear and loud message: poverty must be kicked out and the people of Busoga must join the money economy and become prosperous. This is in line with the dreams and aspirations of President Museveni and the NRM Manifesto 2026-2031.
“Busoga has considerable human, agricultural, industrial and geographical potential. Your task is to help Government unlock that potential by ensuring that development programmes reach the people and that communities are mobilized towards greater household incomes.”
The Minister commended Busoga for its performance in the recent LC1 and LC2 elections. “Busoga did so well, scoring 74 percent. Special recognition goes to Buyende District, which emerged the overall best performer, thanks to the mobilization teams on the ground.”
On discipline, she was categorical. “Indiscipline within the RDC structure will not be tolerated. When an RDC, DRDC, ARDC, RISO or DISO behaves improperly, the public does not distinguish between the individual and the institution. The image of the Presidency can be strengthened or damaged by your conduct.”
She concluded with a clear expectation. “Strengthen your monitoring. Protect public resources. Report accurately. Fight corruption. Work as a team. Maintain discipline. Keep the peace. Support Government programmes. Do not waste time on rumors. The people of Uganda expect results, and Government expects performance.”
Why Public Officers Must Leave the Office and Go To The Field.
Minister Babalanda stressed that development cannot be managed from air-conditioned offices.
“Imagined, flowery reports that do not correspond with realities on the ground are misleading Government and cheating the people,” she said. “A report written from a desk will never tell you that drugs are missing, that a classroom has no teacher, or that PDM money never reached the intended SACCO members.”
She said interfacing directly with residents who are beneficiaries is the only way to verify truth. In the field, an officer sees the broken borehole, hears from the mother who walked 5 kilometers to a health center, and meets the youth group struggling to access markets. That is where problems are solved early, before they become scandals.
“When you sit with the people, you restore trust. When you verify with your own eyes, you protect public resources. When you follow up, you ensure accountability. That is leadership,” she said.
Appreciation From Busoga RDCs.
The Busoga RDCs, led by the veteran RDC Jinja, Richard Gulume Balyainho,who is also the regional dean of RDCs, congratulated Minister Babalanda for securing a second appointment in the same portfolio. They said it is a clear sign that she has won the trust and confidence of the appointing authority, President Museveni, and pledged to work with renewed energy to deliver on the directives given.
The Roles & Functions of RDCs.
As the President’s representatives in the districts, RDCs hold a central place in the governance and service delivery chain. Their mandate includes representing the President and Government at district level and ensuring that Government policy is understood and implemented.
RDCs chair the District Security Committee and work with security organs to maintain peace, law and order. They coordinate central government ministries, local government and other state agencies to ensure there is harmony and no duplication in service delivery.
A core function is monitoring all Government programmes and projects. This involves going to schools, health centers, roads, PDM projects and other interventions to verify progress, proper use of funds and actual benefit to the people.
RDCs also mobilize the population to embrace Government programmes aimed at wealth creation and poverty eradication. They receive and handle public complaints, and act as the link between the people and Government.
Accurate and timely reporting to the Center is critical, because national decisions are made based on information from the field. RDCs are further charged with protecting Government property and interests, and ensuring that public resources are not diverted.
Through these roles, the RDC structure ensures that the presence of Government is not felt only through statements, but through visible improvements in the lives of citizens.
Following the workshop, the minister was taken on a guided tour of the magnificent Source of the Nile Hotel by its proprietor Hon Daudi Migereko, a retired veteran politician who remains active in public service and continues to enjoy warm working relations with the NRM government and its leadership in Busoga.
The 4-Acre Model: A Roadmap for Every Homestead to Join the Money Economy.
Earlier in the workshop, Hon Daudi Migereko who served in different portfolios made a presentation on the now popular 4-acre model. He guided the RDCs to internalize the model to, in turn help guide the population to embrace it.
Hon Migereko expressed concern that Busoga and many parts of the country have increasingly become dependent on imported foodstuffs such as tomatoes, egg plants, Irish potatoes, rice, cowpeas and other commodities from neighboring Kenya and Tanzania.
“Just visit Amber Court market here in Jinja City you will see trucks and trucks with Kenyan-registered number plates off-loading such stuffs which our people happily fight to get”, he lamented.
He described the development as worrying because for decades, Uganda had been known as the food basket of East Africa. “We must return to that status by supporting household enterprises that produce what we eat because we have everything including productive land and a peaceful environment”.
Hon Migereko who described himself as a politician, farmer and an investor who also produces fertilizers explained that the 4-acre model is designed to ensure that every homestead earns from at least one enterprise in each of the four areas: coffee, fruits, food crops and animal rearing with additional slot for the backyard.
The model, he noted is practical, affordable and fits within the Parish Development Model (PDM) framework. He tasked the RDCs who are frontline public servants to take lead in popularizing the model, monitoring its adoption at household level and ensuring that technical officers provide the necessary guidance so that families move from subsistence to commercial production.
The workshop ended with officers committing to take the Minister’s message back to every sub-county and parish in Busoga.
