Former RDCs, RCCs cry out to Museveni over resettlement package
President Yoweri Museveni appointments and deploys of RDCs. PHOTO/PPU
What you need to know:
- Mr Eric Sakwa, the former RDC for Jinja City, who was acquitted of manslaughter charges in 2022, said he had sold almost all his belongings to settle the legal costs he incurred to shake off criminal charges that had been slapped against him.
About 35 former Resident District Commissioners, Resident City Commissioners, and their deputies have petitioned President Museveni to expedite the process of releasing their settlement packages.
Addressing the media on March 11, Mr Richard Andama, the former RDC for Yumbe District, who read the statement on behalf of the affected colleagues, said they should be bailed out since they are languishing in poverty and choking on multiple loans.
“We have gathered in solidarity to remind our President, our appointing authority that we need the settlement package. Some of our colleagues have died, a number of them are sick, while others are struggling to offset loans that they had secured from banks,’’ he said.
Mr Andama revealed that whereas some of their colleagues who were dropped by the President about two years ago had received their packages, a section of them had not yet.
“Since 2022, these RDCs and their deputies have written several reminders to you (President) but all in vain,’’ he said.
Mr Eric Sakwa, the former RDC for Jinja City, who was acquitted of manslaughter charges in 2022, said he had sold almost all his belongings to settle the legal costs he incurred to shake off criminal charges that had been slapped against him.
“The case was dismissed, I was not compensated, I lost my job and three years down the road, I have not been compensated yet I had legal costs to meet. As a father of this country, look into our plight,’’ Mr Sakwa said.
He said when he heard that some of his former colleagues had been compensated, he sighed in relief hoping that the settlement package would enable him to tackle financial challenges.
Likewise, Mr Patrick Okumu, the former RDC for Soroti, said: “We were dropped abruptly. We are not prepared yet we have families to take care of and debts to learn. Mr President, kindly give us a bailout then keep quiet.”
Mr Johanan Omara, the former RDC for Yumbem who worked as the head teacher of St Edwards Secondary School in Manafwa District, said they cannot easily be integrated into the community due to the enmity that was created as they executed work.
“I was a teacher by the time I was appointed RDC. I lived a normal way of life. When I was appointed RDC, my life changed. We created enemies not because we were bad people, but due to the nature of the work we used to do such as handling land conflicts. It is now hard to go back to the community and interact with people freely,’’ he said.
Mr Yunus Kakande, the permanent secretary in the Office of the President, said the President doesn’t give RDCs and their deputies any settlement package.
Mr Kakande said former RDCs, and RCCs are instead entitled to an annual gratuity of around Shs11m while that of their deputies ranges between Shs4 million and Shs5 million and they were receiving the money.
“The president does not owe them anything. He decided to help a few of them on a personal basis not entitlement. So those who were not given money thought they were entitled to it, which is not true,’’ Mr Kakande said.
Adding: “They had instructed us to meet all former RDCs complaining and we are in preparations to convene a meeting next month together with the Minister for the Presidency.”
