"Poverty is killing us", former RDCs cry out to Kadaga
Former Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and their deputies have petitioned the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga over what they described as "poor welfare" after their service.
The petition comes after parliament enacted the Administration of Judiciary Act which allows the Chief Justice and and their deputy to retire with all the benefits while justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal will enjoy 80% of their current benefits while in retirement.
Keep Reading
Led by Thomas Okoth Nyalulu, the former RDC’s who served in Arua and Paliisa demanded for a legal instrument that provides for monthly housing, health, transport and security allowances among others.
They requested that parliament should enact a legal instrument in which former RDCs and their deputies are facilitated regularly
"You are not sure of what can probably happen to you in terms of health. There is the issue of transport and security. This will help us not only to remain relevant but also helpful in the society,"he noted.
He noted that it is not easy for a serving RDC to have any income generating activity in the district of service because it could be perceived differently.
"You also risk problem of having conflict of interest in that district of service. So you diligently have to go ahead and serve. And sometimes you can't start a business in your home district because you are very far,"he said.
Avia Ruhangalinda, a former RDC cited unfairness in the way some of their services were terminated.
"When people look at you, they say these are people who have been working for the government. They can even question how you became poor. This can make us to fear to ask for loans so the retirement package is very important,"she said.
Kadaga promised to forward their concerns to the presidential committee.
"I will inform the House but also send it to the committee on Presidential Affairs so that they can study it and make recommendations," she said.
Article 203 of the Constitution defines the role of RDCs but it doesn't not talk about their welfare during and after service.
