The Minister of Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, has urged residents of the Busoga sub-region to turn up in large numbers and vote for National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearers in the Local Council I (LC1) elections, describing village leadership as the foundation of effective government service delivery.
Speaking during interviews with several radio stations in Jinja City on Monday ahead of the LC elections, Babalanda said the Local Council structure remains the most important level of governance because it is where government programmes are implemented, monitored and accounted for at the household level.
She said village leaders play a central role in identifying and endorsing beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM), coordinating local security, and supervising government projects.
Minister Babalanda urged voters to elect leaders who understand President Yoweri Museveni’s agenda of wealth creation, peace and accountability, saying such leaders would help accelerate the implementation of key government programmes.
According to the minister, NRM flag bearers are better placed to mobilise communities and support the rollout of initiatives such as the Parish Development Model, Emyooga, the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project, road infrastructure, rural electrification and healthcare services.
She also encouraged households in Busoga to adopt the government’s Four-Acre Model, saying it would boost household incomes and reduce poverty by promoting commercial agriculture.
“Busoga has enormous potential to transform, but this can only be achieved through responsible leadership and hardworking citizens,” Babalanda said.
The minister further appealed to religious and cultural leaders to continue promoting unity, honesty and hard work while supporting government efforts to fight corruption, which she described as a major obstacle to effective service delivery at the grassroots.
On security, Babalanda directed Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Resident City Commissioners (RCCs), their deputies and assistants, together with other security agencies, to remain vigilant and ensure a peaceful electoral process.
She instructed them to work closely with the Uganda Police Force, Internal Security Organisation (ISO), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and other security agencies to prevent violence, voter intimidation, bribery and any acts that could disrupt the elections.
