A group of former Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) have petitioned parliament over the poor welfare situation they live in despite years of serving government “with loyalty.”
The petitioners; Kintu William Monday, Okoth Nyalulu Thomas and 8 others, say that despite being senior civil servants appointed by the President, their services were abruptly terminated and have since retired into “pathetic financial situation” rendering them vulnerable in society.
In the petition handed to the Speaker Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, petitioners claim they faithfully served as RDCs and DRDCs but left office with nothing despite the gravity of service of tenure. They propose a monthly package for former RDCs covering housing costs, security, transport and others.
“Madam Speaker,upon termination of service, salaries were stopped and they (RDCs) were left with no other regular source of income to fall back to. Many have since retired into pathetic financial situations with precarious security, rendering them vulnerable to elements of society without any provision for state support despite their loyal service” the statement reads in part.
They however noted that their demands are representative of many other former RDCs who have previously served under appointment of President Museveni, but currently grassing.
According to the petition, former RDCs say the sensitive nature of their job and the uncertainties involved in deployment could not allow them to set up commercial ventures to support them in retirement.
They also cite the potential conflict of interest in such an undertaking leaving them solely subsisting on their salaries and allowances.
The petitioners want Parliament to enact a law in which former RDCs and their Deputies will be facilitated with monthly housing, Health, Transport, security allowance and many other benefits as parliament may deem fit.
They also demand that the same legal instrument should have a retroactive effect and that it should streamline the exit of RDCs to provide ample notice of at least 6 months of impending termination.
The proposed instrument they say, should also cater for all former RDC’s and Deputy RDCs with emoluments to be computed from the current financial year.
The instrument should also streamline the mechanism of exit of serving RDCS and DRDCs to provide ample notice of at-least 6 months of impending termination.
Speaker Kadaga noted tha RDCs raised good policy issues and affirmed that there is need to address RDCs benefits and tenure.
“I’ll forward the petition to the Committee of Presidential Affairs for action and also bring it to the attention of Parliament” Kadaga said.
She also thanked the RDCs for bringing stability and order in some areas of the the country.
