President Yoweri Museveni is expected to officially open the Public Service Leaders’ Introspection Retreat of Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, and Members of the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) top leadership at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi.
The retreat, which kicked off earlier today, will run until July 14, 2024. The seven-day residential retreat will run under the theme Answering the Citizens’ Call: Improved Service Delivery for Social and Economic Transformation.
The retreat seeks to evaluate manifesto implementation and address the gripping levels of corruption taking shape in ministries and parliaments in Uganda. The delivery of services has, over time, been riddled with corruption.
Currently, five legislators are under detention for corruption and embezzlement of funds. Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, Elgon County MP Mudimi Wamakuyu, and lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko were accused of diversion of funds and conspiracy to defraud Shs 164 billion meant for compensating cooperative societies.
Lwengo district woman MP, Cissy Namujju; Busiki county MP Paul Akamba; and Bunyole East county MP Mutembuli Yusuf were conversely remanded for soliciting a bribe from the executive director of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Mariam Wangadya, to enhance the commission’s 2024/25 budget. The group would take 20% of the enhanced budget.
This financial year, the government has prioritised security with Shs 9.588 trillion, followed by roads and transport, access to electricity through grid expansion and connectivity projects, maintenance of the roads, the building of new strategic roads, the accelerated rehabilitation of the Metre Gauge Railway, the commencement of construction of the Standard Gauge Railway, and tourism.
According to Emmanuel Dombo, the Director of Information and Publicity at the NRM secretariat, the retreat is aimed at discussing the performance of the government in the last financial year, how to improve service delivery, and manifest implementation.
