Government is set to procure more than 100 vehicles for Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and their deputies who currently lack official transport, as the Office of the President moves to improve the working conditions and performance of the President’s representatives in districts and cities.
The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Haji Yunus Kakande, announced the measures in Masaka City while addressing RDCs, Resident City Commissioners (RCCs), their deputies and assistants, together with Regional Internal Security Officers and District Internal Security Officers from the Greater Masaka sub-region.
The officials were attending a three-day capacity-building workshop focused on strengthening their oversight, leadership, teamwork and monitoring of Government programmes.
Kakande said the vehicles will be provided to affected RDCs and their deputies, while a separate transport arrangement is being considered for assistant commissioners.
“We will purchase over 100 vehicles for the affected RDCs and their deputies,” Kakande said, adding that Government was also working out how to provide transport for assistant RDCs.
The planned vehicle procurement comes alongside efforts to improve the working environment in RDC offices, particularly in northern and eastern Uganda, where the creation of new districts has left some offices inadequately furnished.
Kakande said Government had finalised plans to provide furniture to the affected offices, following concerns raised by commissioners about the lack of basic facilities.
The officials are also being reminded that the vehicles already allocated to them are meant to support official duties and must be properly maintained.
Kakande warned RDCs and RCCs against handing official vehicles to spouses, relatives and friends, saying such practices have contributed to misuse and mechanical problems.
He urged the commissioners to conduct regular mechanical inspections and ensure the vehicles remain available for official work.
RDCs told to uncover problems before they become crises
The improvements in facilitation come as the Office of the President tightens expectations on the performance of RDCs, RCCs and their deputies and assistants.
Kakande told the commissioners in Masaka to take a more proactive approach to monitoring Government programmes rather than waiting for ministers or other senior officials to discover failures during their visits.
He said RDCs should routinely inspect Government projects, follow the use of public resources and identify shortcomings early enough for corrective action to be taken.
The commissioners, he stressed, should not wait for problems to escalate into crises before reporting or acting on them.
Kakande said their mandate places them at the centre of monitoring Government programmes and projects and ensuring that public resources reach the people for whom they are intended.
The warning comes amid increased scrutiny of public spending and service delivery at local-government level, including the ongoing “Expose the Corrupt” campaign led by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara.
The campaign has focused attention on the management of public funds, Government projects, staffing, school enrolment, the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the delivery of public services.
Kakande told the commissioners that their role is to identify weaknesses within their jurisdictions and ensure that Government programmes produce measurable results.
He also cautioned RDCs against directly distributing PDM funds.
Rather than becoming involved in handing out the money, the commissioners were told to monitor the distribution process and establish whether the funds reach the intended beneficiaries.
On corruption, Kakande urged RDCs to act on suspected wrongdoing but warned them against making accusations based solely on rumours.
He said commissioners should investigate suspected corruption professionally, protect public resources and avoid damaging people’s reputations before allegations have been properly established.
Focus turns to service delivery
With the 2026 political season over, Kakande directed RDCs and other field officials to shift their attention towards service delivery, development, peace and socio-economic transformation.
He tasked them with supporting efforts to address youth unemployment through practical skills and economic opportunities in areas including agriculture, value addition, tourism and information and communication technology.
In agriculture, commissioners were encouraged to promote irrigation and other farming methods capable of sustaining production during dry periods.
They were also urged to intervene early in land disputes, mediate fairly and protect Government land from encroachment or misuse.
Kakande further warned RDCs against unnecessary conflicts with elected political leaders and technical officials in their districts.
He called for professionalism and dialogue when disagreements arise, stressing that RDCs should work with LCV chairpersons and other district leaders rather than engage in confrontations.
The Head of the RDC Secretariat, Maj. Martha Asiimwe, said the capacity-building programme is designed to strengthen the commissioners’ ability to perform their constitutional and administrative responsibilities.
The training covers areas including performance, leadership, teamwork, ethics and oversight of Government programmes, with the aim of improving the execution of duties assigned to RDCs, RCCs and their deputies and assistants.
RDCs to get salary increment
Alongside the planned improvements in transport and office facilities, Government has also announced plans to increase the salaries of RDCs and RCCs.
The salary enhancement will not, however, be implemented in the current financial year.
Kakande explained that Government has prioritised salary improvements for teachers, pushing the planned increment for RDCs and RCCs to the 2027/28 financial year.
The planned adjustment would add remuneration to the package of facilitation being considered for the President’s representatives, whose responsibilities include monitoring Government programmes, coordinating central Government agencies and reporting developments in their areas of jurisdiction.
Teachers’ salary increment provides the background
The decision to prioritise teachers comes against the backdrop of Government’s wider salary-enhancement programme for public servants.
For the 2026/27 financial year, Parliament approved a budget containing a phased 25 per cent salary enhancement for teachers under the Human Capital Development allocation.
Government also set aside Shs568.65 billion for salary enhancements for primary school teachers and arts teachers in secondary and technical institutions.
The teacher salary measures have been part of a broader discussion about disparities in public-sector remuneration, including the different salary adjustments previously granted to categories of teachers.
The planned RDC and RCC enhancement in 2027/28 therefore comes within a wider Government programme of reviewing remuneration and facilitation for different categories of public servants.
For the President’s representatives, the planned salary adjustment is being accompanied by the proposed procurement of more than 100 vehicles, transport arrangements for assistant RDCs and the provision of furniture to some offices.
Meanwhile, the Presidency has revealed when the new list of RDCs for 2026-2031 will be released as an RDCs reshuffle looms. See Details Here.
See full salary structure for all government employees for the 2026-2027 financial year Here.
