Corrupt RDCs to be fired - Esther Mbayo

FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

MBARARA - The Minister in charge of Presidency Esther Mbayo, has vowed to suspend Resident District Commissioners (RDC) involved in land grabbing and all other forms of corruption.

Mbayo noted that RDCs are representatives of the President and their involvement in corruption doesn't only tarnish the name of the President but also jeopardises the ruling NRM government's 2016-2021 manifesto of steady progress, taking Uganda to modernity through job-creation and inclusive development.

Mbayo sounded the warning while opening a two days regional retreat on the implementation of the NRM manifesto commitments and strategic guidelines and directives held at Lake View Hotel in Mbarara on Tuesday. This was attended by RDCs, NRM chairpersons, officials from OWC, Presidential advisors, districts technical officers among others.

"There are RDCs involved in land grabbing, I will not hesitate to take action on those RDCs, you are representing the President in your districts and whatever you do is reflected onto the President. People have become hopeless because leaders are not protecting them and what they have decided to do is to go for people power and corruption is the cause of all this. Let's be contented with what we have and as leaders we must walk the talk and fight corruption if we are to save this country, it has become a disease which can't be cured because of involvement of big people," Mbayo said.

Regarding settling land matters, Mbayo advised RDCs to only focus on their constitutional mandate monitoring government programs and leave the land matter for the courts to handle and that their role should only be mediating the conflicting parties.

Mbayo said corruption is also in districts' technical staff and urged all district leaders to embrace the four pillars; Patriotism, Pan Africanism, Social Economic Transformation and Democracy. 

She challenged leaders in the area to ensure they supervise the implementation of the commitments and popularize the manifesto achievements to all Wanainch in the region, saying this will create transparency and accountability to the population.

She also urged them to identify bottlenecks to the effective implementation of the manifesto, develop a clear set of strategies aimed at strengthening the monitoring and evaluation of the party commitments.

She assured them that the office of the President is committed to provide all political and technical support in the implementation of the party commitments.

"Leaders of this country, let's leave the comfort zone we go to the community and sensitize them. We are leaving our country in the hands of people who can't take us anywhere. We are leaving our youth in the hands of people power and for us as senior citizens, people who want peace we are just keeping quiet. Let's bring the youth on board in whatever we do. Long ago there were so many diseases killing youth but we brought vaccines and that's why we have many young people and as NRM government we are proud of that, so let's guide them into the right direction," Mbayo added. 

Willis Bashasha, the Director Manifesto Implementation Unit in the Office of the President, also urged leaders to publicize the progress of the manifesto implementation saying this will curtail people who want to take advantage of the communication gap to blackmail achievements of government. 

James Tweheyo, NRM CEC member who represented secretary general at the retreat, called on all leaders to support their move of fronting President Museveni as their sole candidate come 2021 general elections. "It's to the best need of the party if we have steady leadership and progress, when the party comes to you seeking for support be there and support us because you are the great pillars of NRM." Tweheyo said.