Secretary in the Office of the President Hajji Yunus Kakande has sounded a strong warning to Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) and other government field officers over indiscipline, urging them to respect authority and become more effective monitors of government programmes. Kakande made the remarks on Monday, August 17, 2026, while opening a three-day capacity-building workshop for government field officers from the Busoga Sub-region at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja City.
Kakande told the officers that indiscipline, disrespect and disregard for institutional hierarchy have no place in government, warning that such behaviour undermines teamwork and effective administration. He urged officers to respect their seniors and colleagues, saying discipline remains critical for both professional growth and effective public service. “If you must succeed as individuals, you must respect others,” Kakande said.
He challenged RDCs and RCCs to abandon an office-based approach to leadership and instead spend more effort monitoring what happens on the ground. According to Kakande, their mandate goes beyond attending meetings and occupying government offices; they must identify obstacles affecting service delivery and ensure that responsible agencies act on them. He urged them to demand accurate information and timely solutions whenever government programmes encounter challenges.
The senior official also ordered closer scrutiny of government projects, particularly the work of contractors entrusted with public funds. He said RDCs must establish whether projects are being implemented according to approved specifications, standards and timelines and should not endorse substandard work. Kakande cited stalled seed school projects as evidence of the problems that arise when contractors without sufficient capacity are awarded government contracts.
Kakande further placed RDCs and security officers at the centre of efforts to ensure that poverty-reduction programmes achieve their objectives. He cited the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, saying beneficiaries must receive the support intended to improve their household incomes. He urged officers to work with DISOs and other structures to monitor the utilisation of funds and guard government programmes against corruption, diversion and other forms of abuse.
He also challenged Busoga leaders to rethink the region’s economic strategy by encouraging residents to invest in productive and high-value agricultural activities. Kakande singled out coffee as an enterprise with greater potential for wealth creation and noted Uganda’s target of producing 20 million bags annually by 2030. He argued that while sugarcane remains important, communities with suitable land should also consider ventures capable of generating higher and more sustainable returns.
Kakande said Busoga has the resources, land and human potential to reclaim its former economic position, recalling that the region was once among Uganda’s most developed areas. He called on leaders to champion transformation by helping communities turn skills, natural resources and industrial opportunities into jobs and incomes. He also urged young people to focus on education, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and productive work rather than idleness, drug abuse and excessive involvement in politics.
The meeting also focused on security and accountability, with Kakande urging RDCs, RCCs and security officers to remain vigilant and work together to preserve peace after the recent elections. He commended their contribution during the electoral period but said the focus must now shift to development. Assistant Commissioner for Finance and Planning at the Office of the President Hajji Sadat Kisuyi urged field officers to take ownership of government programmes, stressing that public resources must produce measurable improvements in people’s lives through poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth and better quality of life.
