The Assistant Commissioner for Finance and Planning in the Office of the President, Sadat Kisuyi, has requested Shs 2.8 billion to facilitate the construction of office accommodation for Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), warning that failure to secure the funds could significantly delay the project.
Kisuyi made the appeal while appearing before the Presidential Affairs Committee on Tuesday, during scrutiny of the 2026/27 Ministerial Policy Statement for the Office of the President.
Kisuyi highlighted the persistent challenge of inadequate office space for RDCs across the country, noting that the current pace of construction is unsustainable.
He revealed that the Office of the President is only able to construct one RDC office per year due to limited funding.
“There is inadequate office accommodation for the Resident District Commissioners. If we continue at this rate, Uganda will not complete building offices for all districts until the year 2170,” he said.
Meanwhile, concerns over the conduct of some RDCs during the recently concluded general elections were also raised during the committee session.
Simon Peter Okwalinga, Member of Parliament for Kanyum County, called on the Office of the President to review the behavior of certain RDCs and consider transferring those accused of engaging in partisan politics.
Okwalinga argued that redeploying some RDCs could help ease tensions in districts where their actions may have caused public dissatisfaction.
“It is not good to keep seeing the same individuals in areas where they are perceived to have wronged people. A reshuffle, especially to regions far from where they previously operated, could help communities heal and move forward,” he said.
Kisuyi further emphasized the need for stronger orientation and training of RDCs to ensure they uphold the interests of the state above individual or political influences. According to Okwalinga, RDCs must remain aligned with the authority of the President and avoid interference from other actors.
In response, Alex Byarugaba, Chairperson of the Presidential Affairs Committee, cautioned against generalizing the conduct of all RDCs based on the actions of a few individuals. He defended the institution, stressing that misconduct should be addressed on a case-by-case basis rather than casting aspersions on the entire office.
“I do not want us to portray the office of RDCs as wholly problematic or uncooperative. These are individual actions, and they should be handled as such. This is a constitutional office, and many RDCs are diligent and capable public servants,” Byarugaba said.