RUKUNGIRI – Leaders in Rukungiri District have ordered extension workers to reside in their areas of operation, following concerns of absenteeism and long commutes that are devastating service delivery to farmers.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The directive was formally announced on Thursday by the District Chairperson, Andrewson Katebire Charles, during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held at the district headquarters council hall.
Chairperson Katebire emphasized that proximity is paramount for effective service delivery, insisting that workers who are not physically present in their assigned areas cannot adequately support the farming community.
He downplayed accommodation challenges as a valid excuse, arguing that teachers earn less money yet still travel long distances every day to teach children in those same communities.
CUE IN: KATEBITE ON WORKERS. RR
The Chairperson appealed to residents to report absent extension workers, vowing that all complaints would be met with rapid action, including the redeployment of willing staff to affected areas.
The stakeholders’ meeting also provided a platform for the Ministry of Water and Environment to unveil a new Operation and Maintenance Framework designed to rescue the region’s deteriorating rural water supply systems.
Senior Sociologist Naome Atuheire raised alarm over the deteriorating state of rural water sources, revealing that many boreholes and wells are non-functional due to neglect.
She expressed hope that the new Operation and Maintenance Framework would turn things around by empowering water-user committees, enforcing financial accountability, and committing the Ministry to restoring clean water district-wide.
CUE IN: NAOME ON WATER SOURCES. RR
The initiative garnered support from local leaders, including Buyanja Sub-County LC3 Chairperson Emmy Agaba Rubondo, councilors Paul Kabahango and Muhammad Kakesa, who backed both the worker relocation plan and the water maintenance strategy.
The leaders appealed to residents to contribute their required fees and take charge of local water points, promising that such collective effort would keep the boreholes functional and serve the community reliably.
The meeting drew a diverse crowd of attendees, including departmental heads, sub-county leaders, technical staff, and district water officials, all of whom committed to working together for successful implementation.
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