Government officials and legislators should make regular tours up-country

The year 2013 is a clean fresh slate for which we must adequately prepare if we are to register any achievements at the end. During my time of service in a school environment, I witnessed a mode of operation that can have remarkable effect if applied at the national scene. At least every year, the administrators, members of board of governors, parents, well-wishers and the general public, upon invitation for annual general meetings, conduct tours of the respective schools or institutions.

Through direct observation the stakeholders are able to catch a glimpse of the status quo, especially how budgeted programmes within a stipulated period, have been executed. My view is that this kind of transparency and prudence be extended to all matters of national interest to account for taxpayers’ money

In cases of fraud, we are not told whether the officials or delegated technical persons within the ministry make any attempts to inspect or tour places where the stipulated projects are meant to be carried out.
They were busy with budgets, cash transfers, allowances, arrears and remittances.

No person with prior knowledge of the plight of the people of northern Uganda can extort donor funds to such extreme levels to construct personal castles.

The Public Accounts Committee, the Inspector General of Government and all protective government organs, should not stop at merely perusing through files, vouchers and bank statements, after all, vain transactions can be concealed by documentation. Negligence to execute designated ventures should be made a risky venture and should tantamount to dismissal from duty or cancellation of contract.

Any reports of, incomplete or shoddy work at the expiry of a contract period, should imply that such anomalies took place unnoticed because of underhand intentions by officials and technical persons to conceal fraud.

Is it too costly for government officials and MPs to tour their own country?
Parliament has been busy with the oil Bill yet some members have never even set foot in Bunyoro subregion.
How many government officials pleading for donor aid have visited northern Uganda and how often? Would you expect a comprehensive coverage of matters of national interest by such persons?

My humble request is that frequent tours be conducted by policy makers, legislators and government officials to acquaint themselves with the plight of the people they represent or the manner and pace in which projects of national interest are executed.

Let them travel and see for real the slow progress on Tororo-Soroti road yet this is a major traffic route to South Sudan. Afterwards, travel to Bulambuli via Sironko through the old Kapchorwa Road to see the jeopardy of transporting coffee and foodstuffs to markets in low lying areas.

Visit referral hospitals and health units countrywide. Pass through northern Uganda and see how former victims of insurgency are now faring. Hear from Bududa landslide survivors now living in Kiryandongo, then return to Kampala and discuss about their country.

Charles Okecha,
carlsok2@yahoo.com