The Bushenyi Resident District Commission (RDC), Robert Atuhairwe, has made headlines in the news for engaging in a relationship with a minor and delivering birthday gifts for the same minor at Bweranyangi Girls’ School, something that saw the RDC relieved of his duties.
The RDCs are representatives of the president in their respective districts and are therefore expected to act with utmost decorum so as not to taint his image. It is, however, sad that the same RDCs, who at the same time serve as heads of security in the same districts, have participated in matters that create insecurity.
They have been cited for aiding land grabbing, corruption, and a multitude of other activities that tarnish the name and image of the fountain of honor.
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The biggest challenge is that unlike before, when these RDCs were chosen on merit depending on their capabilities and mobilization prowess, these days, politicians lobby the RDC positions for their supporters and relatives, not considering their capabilities.
The RDCs have since turned into political assistants of these politicians and have ended up campaigning for their benefactors and dividing the party instead of preaching unity and cohesion.
The actions of the Bushenyi RDC are just an example of the rot at the RDC secretariat, something that needs to be streamlined for the betterment of the party. Most of these RDCs have not undergone training for them to have a good ideological basement; apart from a few soldiers on the team, the rest are just appointed and deployed while others undergo a week or two weeks’ orientation, which is not enough for them given the scope of their work.
These untrained officers have found themselves heading the trained security team that comprises the District Police Commanders (DPCs), the District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), the UPDF commanders, and many more, something that has caused disagreements and a lack of cooperation.
For these RDCs to do a good job and represent the president well, at least a training package should be prepared for them or at least undergo basic training so that the government can avoid the scenarios similar to those of the Bushenyi RDC.
It is unfortunate that the RDC did exactly what he is supposed to fight and preach against—something that contravenes the public service codes as well as tarnishing the image of the president he represents.
The recruitment process of the RDCs needs to be revised and mechanisms put in place to have the old good days of the RDC secretariat rejuvenated.
