Cabinet meets in Kyankwanzi to discuss failure in service delivery
Some members of the executive arm of the government at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi District on July 08, 2024. Photo | Courtesy | @TodwongR
What you need to know:
- The retreat, the first of its kind is focused on the government shortfalls in public service with the view of finding practical remedies.
Members of the executive arm of the government have convened for a week-long retreat at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi District.
The retreat, the first of its kind is focused on the government shortfalls in public service with the view of finding practical remedies.
Lucy Nakyobe, the head of public service and secretary to cabinet says the concentration of the government on its successes during the performance assessments has not helped improve on service delivery.
“When you always look at performance generally, people will always present the positives, this time we are here to look at what we have failed to deliver and how can we therefore improve and have it delivered,” she said.
Ms Nakyobe says the respective political heads and technocrats of each ministries will in the one week period respond to the complaints generated from the public regarding failures in delivery of public services which corresponds with the coined theme of the retreat, "The citizens’ call: Improved service delivery for socio-economic transformation".
The failures captured in a circulated handbook to the attendees for Kampala Capital City Authority points out challenges of uncollected garbage in streets, darkness leading to insecurity, corruption and inefficiency in processing land titles and unauthorised sale of public land.
For the public service sector, corruption and nepotism in recruitment and selection processes are pointed out, plus unfair practices in promotion and growing incompetence.
When it comes to parliament, the public is showed to be concerned about the excessive big number of MPs and the attendant cost of maintenance, selfish tendency of the MPs increasing their emoluments, very low qualifications and harassment towards people who appear before parliamentary committees.
“If you see the corruption, we need to talk about that corruption. If you see the land grabbing, we need to talk about land grabbing. If you see the drug shortages in health centres, we need to talk about it. What is the cause of this and how can we rectify it,” Nakyobe pointed out.
Richard Todwong, the Secretary General of the NRM party underscored the retreat as crucial for leaders to improve administrative skills given in a dynamic environment with an informed population.
Todwong took a swipe at the opposition who he accused of lamenting about problems without providing solutions arguing that it is what marks the difference with his party whose members are locked up in the retreat to establish remedies to societal challenges.
“When our friends are just saying oh there is a lot of population, there’s a lot of traffic jam, they don’t go to the nitty-gritty, they are discussing symptoms but we are here discussing the disease, the problem and prescribing the solution,” said Todwong.
However, Todwong disclaimed that the challenges which the NRM has not been in a position to address during the 38 years stay in power will not be solved overnight.
He argued that the problems like unemployment, health issues and poverty will keep recurring given the growth in population
“As long as you produce, there is going to be poverty, health issues and all these human needs because society keeps growing and human beings are producing which creates new demands on the same needs,” commented Todwong.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to officially open the retreat geared to achieve four objectives include examining performance problem in public service, and come up with solutions, impart knowledge and skills to the leaders, build cohesion and revive guidance on strategic issues of public service delivery.
