The National Resistance Movement (NRM), Secretary General, Richard Todwong has directed district leaders to start submitting quarterly reports capturing the progress of the partry’s Manifesto Implementation and all government programs meant to benefit ordinary people in the districts.
Todwong made the remarks during his two-day tour of Bukedi sub-region, starting with Budaka, Butaleja, Tororo and Busia.
The NRM Secretary General noted that, the district leaders, should start to engage with their communities and keenly take time to understand people’s problems and strive to improve their livelihoods.
Todwong said that this will help track project progress in the different areas, and also inform decisions on government projects.
He says that in case of any project failure, the blame is shifted from technocrats and other civil servants to the government, hence suffering from the ripple effect in the long run.
Todwong says that the leaders are social doctors who keenly pay attention to issues affecting people within society and forge a way to cure them.
He lashed out at leaders who join the population to lament against bad conditions affecting the people instead of confronting the issues at hand or seek for information and answers from relevant authorities.
Todwong further reechoed, his deputy’s (Rose Namayanja) earlier proposal to lobby government through the Ministry of Local government to introduce an amendment in the Local government Act which will enable NRM Chairpersons at various levels to sit in district councils as Ex-officials.
He argued that the NRM party’s manifesto should be implemented by the people that prepared it.
“Really why should such a role be left to civil servants and elected leaders from other parties, as the NRM party, our responsibility should not stop at electing government into power but should also be empowered through direct representation to councils in order to create a platform for follow up and implementation of our manifesto,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Namayanja, said the party tours to different regions will help the party to monitor and fast track the performance of their five-year manifesto and National Development Plan III.
According to Rosemary Sseninde, the director for mobilisation, the party leadership went to the region to fill existing communication gaps between the NRM Secretariat and the party district leaders which for long has delayed service delivery.
Sseninde noted that some of the issues decried by some leaders range from limited facilitation, and internal bickering that has split the party.
“Other issues raised included discrimination from government poverty allieviation programs like Emyooga and Operation Wealth program and neglect from party leadership until election period,” she said.
Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM EC Chairman warned all party leaders against corruption and misappropriation of party funds once they are sent to facilitate party work.
Among the delegtation that accompanied the secretary General General was Amb. Barbrah Nekesa, the National Treasurer, Emmanuel Dombo, the Director for Communication, Hajat Medina Naham, the Director Finance and administration, Hon Jane Alisemera, the Commissioner at EC among others.
Todwong and other party leaders will head to Kibuku, Pallisa and Butebo districts as he concludes his visit within the area.
