By Mulengera Reporters
“You shouldn’t be used to meet the selfish interests of certain politicians.” With this stern warning, Minister for the Presidency Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda closed a three-day capacity-building retreat for Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Resident City Commissioners (RCCs), their deputies, assistants, and internal security officers from western Uganda ( Rwenzori sub-region).
The retreat, held at Kalya Courts Hotel in Fort Portal from September 29 to October 1, was aimed at equipping commissioners with skills to improve service delivery, strengthen security, and prepare for the political season ahead of the 2026 elections.
Babalanda cautioned the commisioners and security officers against allowing themselves to be dragged into divisive politics, describing it as one of the biggest threats to effective governance. She said the temptation is highest during campaign seasons when self-seeking politicians try to manipulate state officers for personal advantage.
According to her, divisive politics [functions like a slow poison] eroding trust, weakening institutions, and pitting communities against each other. Once commissioners compromise their neutrality, she said, they risk losing credibility and reducing government’s ability to deliver on its promises.
The Minister reminded the participants that Article 203 of the Constitution requires RDCs to monitor the implementation of all government programmes and projects in their districts.
Filing monthly reports, she stressed, is not optional but central to accountability. Babalanda warned that failure to submit these reports deprives districts of interventions and denies central government the feedback it needs to respond to community concerns.
Corruption, she added, compounds this problem. Babalanda said some officers misuse their offices and then seek protection from politicians, a practice she vowed would not be tolerated.
Instead, commissioners must lead by example in championing a corrupt-free Uganda, noting that misconduct by the commisioners provides political opponents with easy opportunities to attack the NRM government.
On security, the Minister said the Rwenzori sub-region faces unique challenges due to its proximity to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging RDCs and intelligence officers to pay particular attention to cross-border threats and ensure intelligence reports are studied and acted upon quickly. Delayed responses, she warned, expose communities to unnecessary risks.
On mobilization, Babalanda encouraged commissioners to make greater use of radio and other media platforms to communicate government achievements and interventions. She observed that where officers remain silent, opportunistic politicians fill the gap with misleading narratives. Sharing information widely, she said, is key to winning public trust and rallying support for the NRM government programmes.
She also reminded participants of the 2013 presidential directive requiring RDCs to commission all government projects, noting that some had ignored this responsibility. Such neglect, she said, signals indifference and disconnect from citizens. Project commissioning, in her view, should be used as a tool to showcase government’s progress directly to communities.
The Minister further urged RDCs and security officers to recognize their central role in mobilizing for the 2026 general elections. With President YK Museveni recently nominated as the NRM flagbearer, she said it was the responsibility of government representatives to rally communities behind the NRM’s record of stability and transformation.
Babalanda also thanked those commissioners who have embraced teamwork, accountability, and impartiality in their work, urging all officers to return to their districts with renewed commitment, avoid absenteeism, and resist the lure of divisive politics.
“You are the President’s representatives, and the effectiveness of your work will be judged by how secure, united, and prosperous the families and communities under your watch become.” (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
