Leaders and technical officials in Kitagwenda District have been urged to enhance grassroots engagement as a key strategy for improving service delivery, following a mobilisation exercise led by the Office of the President.
The exercise, which follows similar engagements in Kyegegwa, Mubende, and Kyenjojo districts in the Tooro sub-region, brought together district leaders, technical staff, security agencies, and representatives of special interest groups at the District Council Hall.
Speaking during the engagement, Senior Presidential Advisor on Research, Dr. Dan Sekibobo, emphasised the need for leaders to directly interact with communities to understand and address their challenges.
"Effective service delivery begins with understanding the real challenges faced by our communities. Leaders must go to the grassroots, listen to the people, and embrace bottom-up planning through community barazas," he said. "When we listen, we diagnose better, and when we diagnose better, we solve problems more effectively and permanently."
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Leading the delegation, Deputy Head of the RDC Secretariat, Sr. Dr. Mary Grace Akiror, urged government workers to uphold professionalism, diligence, and integrity in public service.
"Service delivery is not merely a duty--it is a calling. Every public servant must exercise care and responsibility while serving the community," she said, cautioning against practices that undermine public trust, particularly in recruitment. "The District Service Commission must desist from the selling of jobs. Public service must be based on merit and fairness."
Kitagwenda RDC, Mr. Kanyamahane Isiah, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the district's commitment to effectively implementing government programmes such as Emyooga, PDM, UWEP, and YLP.
"Our focus now is to ensure these programmes reach and benefit the people at the grassroots," he said.
Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Moses Mahmood Dallili, called for transparency and stronger monitoring systems, noting the engagement of Parish Development Teams to ensure proper utilisation and recovery of funds under the Parish Development Model.
District officials also highlighted ongoing developments in infrastructure, education, agriculture, and health, stressing that community involvement is critical for the sustainability of these initiatives. Participants welcomed the engagement, calling for continued interactions between leaders and citizens to bridge service delivery gaps.
"Engaging directly with the people helps us understand their needs better and improve our work," one participant said.
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