EHTICS AND INTEGRITY A MUST

Kyegegwa RDC, Ms. Baguma Nyakwera addressing  the 

meeting on 11 July

Business as usual will nolonger be a term used in Kyegegwa district as leaders have vowed to crackdown on staff that are rather not meeting the required public service standards. That was said during a joint meeting between the Resident District Commissioner Ms. Baguma, LCV Chairperson Mr. Norman Birungi, the district speaker, the Deputy CAO and the team from RWECO and RIDE Africa. In attendance was a staff who had come for placement at RIDE Africa from Tanzania Ms. Patricia. RIDE Africa and RWECO initiated a meeting with the RDC to train leaders on promotion of ethics and integrity that is a core component of the clients charters that are a package of the social accountability tools. The meeting that took place on wed. July 11, 2012 in the RDC's office appreciated the work RWECO and RIDE Africa was doing in Kyegegwa district. The Coordinator RWECO informed the meeting, that he was committed to ensuring that citizens get what they deserved from the leaders as promised and reflected in the district budgets. The RDC, made it clear that time for laxity was over, if it ever existed in Kyegegwa anyhow, she said she was committed to ensuring that Kyegegwa district does not appear in the press for the wrong things but rather as a learning and fast growing district. On his part, the district Chairperson Mr. Norman Buringa, assured the meeting, that since he had a history of working with CSOs, it was now time for him to walk the talk during his time in office. The LCV chair, proposed that on the day of the launch, Hon. Rev. Fr. Simon Lokodo should be the chief guest, the RDC was asked to make a formal write up to invite the Minister and the trainer from the ministry of Ethics and Integrity.

Kyegegwa District LCV Mr. Norman Birungi (second left), appreciating the work done by RWECO

The speaker to council, supported the idea of training leaders and suggested that the launch of the district integrity promotion forum should not leave Kyegegwa leaders the same. 

RWECO and RIDE Africa, agreed to contribute towards the training of the district leaders and offer radio air time to sensitize the Bataka of Kyegegwa on the district integrity promotion forum. A date was set for the training as 30-31, July 2012 and RDC as chair was charged with mobilising resources and other logistics to support the event. The success of these activities steam back from the lessons RWECO has learnt in Kasese and Bundibugyo at which the DIPF have proved to be a milestone in ensuring good governance and effective service delivery to the grassroots people; http://observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19492&Itemid=114

Ms. Patricia from Tanzania appreciate the approach used by RIDE Africa in involving the leaders while planning for activities that it increased ownership and recognition of the contribution made by all the stakeholders. She acknowledged that, RIDE Africa and RWECO is her mentor in some of the new processes of promoting good governance and social accountability which she was not well versed with. Kudos to Hivos that has funded RWECO and its members to do all these activities in the Rwenzori region and support RWECO to scale up the activities in all the seven districts in the Rwenzori Region.

Compiled by
Jimmy Baluku -RWECO
 and Sam Rukidi -RIDE Africa
Kyegegwa District