Gov't Officials Rally Lira City Leaders to Strengthen Unity, Transparency, and Service Delivery

Gov't Officials Rally Lira City Leaders to Strengthen Unity, Transparency, and Service Delivery 

By Our Reporter 

Lira City, Uganda—Senior officials from the Office of the President convened a high-level meeting with political, technical, religious, and civil society leaders in Lira City to emphasize the need for accountability, teamwork, and citizen involvement in improving public service delivery.

Maj. Martha Asiimwe, Head of the RDC Secretariat and Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), alongside her deputy Dr. Sr. Akiror MaryGrace and Senior Presidential Advisor Lt Col (Rtd) Ambako Kibrai, led the engagement on Friday. The meeting aimed to assess the effectiveness of government programs at the grassroots level.

Lt Col (Rtd) Kibrai voiced concerns over illegal school surcharges, stating that such fees undermine the government’s commitment to free primary and secondary education. He also pointed out flaws in the Education Management Information System (EMIS), which fails to track student progression effectively, leading to significant dropout rates.

In the health sector, Kibrai acknowledged the government’s efforts in supplying essential medicines but urged greater transparency from health workers regarding stock shortages. He emphasized the importance of grassroots mobilization to rebuild community trust in healthcare services.

Dr. Akiror reminded leaders that the RDC Secretariat, established in 2018 by President Museveni, has a dual mandate of combating corruption and monitoring service delivery. She challenged public servants to be present, engaged, and accountable, stressing that absenteeism among officials negatively impacts citizens.

Maj. Asiimwe praised improvements in Lira City's security and urged all stakeholders—political, technical, and religious—to work in unison and enhance communication with the public. She emphasized that government efforts alone are insufficient without collective leadership and mobilization.

Lira City was chosen as the starting point for this national mobilization campaign due to its strategic position in the Lango Sub-region. Officials expressed confidence that their message of unity and accountability would spread throughout neighboring districts.

The meeting concluded with a call to action, urging leaders to focus on practical solutions for better service delivery and improved livelihoods for all Ugandans.