Babalanda Warns CAOs and RDCs Against Collusion Fueling Corruption

Minister Milly Babalanda has voiced serious concerns regarding the alleged collusion between Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) in Uganda’s local governments. She stated that this unholy alliance is a primary driver of corruption, leading to the misappropriation of public funds and the failure of critical service delivery projects.

Babalanda highlighted that this collaboration often manifests as the approval of incomplete projects, payments for non-existent work, and the covering up of shoddy construction. “When these two offices work together honestly, government succeeds, but when they collude, corruption flourishes,” she emphasized during a meeting with local government leaders.

The consequences of this alleged corruption are dire, with taxpayers reportedly losing billions of shillings. Projects frequently remain unfinished, or quickly fall into disrepair shortly after completion. Examples cited include classrooms developing cracks before use, health centers remaining incomplete despite full contractor payments, roads being destroyed by the first rains, and markets languishing in unfinished states.

President Yoweri Museveni has directed a more aggressive approach to combating graft, urging all government officials to prioritize the protection of public resources. Babalanda stressed that corruption is not just financial loss but a theft of opportunities, healthcare, education, and hope for the Ugandan people.

She further directed security officers at the local level, including GISOs and DISOs, to perform their duties professionally and resist any attempts to compromise corruption investigations. The minister also cautioned District Service Commissions against turning recruitment into a “commercial enterprise,” denouncing bribery, nepotism, and sexual exploitation in hiring processes.

Babalanda called for a collective effort in the fight against corruption, involving political leaders, accounting officers, security agencies, and citizens, underscoring that it is an economic threat that hinders national development. She urged leaders to ethically lead, strengthen oversight, enforce financial discipline, and investigate corruption impartially.

Source: Nile Post