Lazy RDCs to be sacked - minister Tumwebaze

By Abdulkarim Ssengendo

Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) who are not performing their roles in districts will be sacked, the Minister for Presidency Frank Tumwebaze has said.

 “An RDC is a senior civil servant and can be interdicted or relived of their duties if they are not hard working. They are unfortunate because they are not permanent and pensionable and they shouldn't disappoint the President who appointed them,” Tumwebaze said.

``We thank those who are hardworking and we caution those who have diverted from their work, some of them have been absent for a while from their stations without informing our offices or even getting official leave,” Tumwebaze said.

Tumwebaze made the remarks while addressing Vision Group reporters at Mbarara bureau early this week. He said for one to be picked to represent the President in the entire district shows how important the office is and they should use that constitutional authority under article 202 of the constitution and fight criminalities including corruption.

“The office of the RDC is the first anti-corruption office in the district because an RDC is a monitor or inspector of all government projects in the district. They should therefore help to stop corruption before it occurs,” Tumwebaze said.

“RDCs have a quite big force, every district has an RDC and districts with more than one county have deputies and if these RDCs became effective on their duties there would be no more corruption in this country,” he added.

However, he ruled out allegations that he is trying to eliminate RDCs who are too old. He said RDCs who are old are the most active, adding that performance may not necessary be driven by age. He explained when he was still RDC in Iganga he worked under Mzee Batinti and was very active.

He advised RDCs to go on Radios to mobilize people and empower them civically, tell them what government is doing and demand accountability from the district leaders and report any suspected form of criminality to his office.

He said where an RDC is hard working sometimes local leaders don't like him because he is busy exposing the rot, but where an RDC is a darling and popular among the local leaders, then you know there is some connivance.

He assured hardworking RDCs that his office shall stand by them in case their work is sabotaged by district political leaders. He promised to start rewarding best performing RDCs.

He said the original RDCs had bigger areas to cover without new pick-ups, but they did good work. He gave example of greater Mbarara which stretched from the border of Tanzania to the border with Ntungamo, but was effectively managed by one RDC.