Otuke, Uganda | The Office of the President has held a Community Baraza in Olilim Town Council, Otuke District, to assess the delivery of government services and strengthen accountability among public institutions.
The meeting was presided over by Deputy Resident District Commissioner Francis Okwameri, alongside Assistant Resident District Commissioners Isaac Opio Opeo Akankwasa and Kirya Joel Jonathan.
It attracted the district LCV chairperson, the Officer in Charge of Olilim Police Station, the Mayor of Olilim Town Council, district technical officers, local leaders, and hundreds of residents.
During the interactive session, residents raised concerns over the quality of health and education services, poor road infrastructure, implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), the government restocking programme, as well as allegations of extortion, favouritism, corruption, lack of transparency and weak accountability in the delivery of public services.
Addressing the gathering, Assistant RDC Isaac Opio Opeo Akankwasa said Community Barazas provide citizens with a platform to directly engage government leaders and demand accountability from public officials.
He said the Office of the President was committed to ensuring that every government programme benefited its intended beneficiaries, adding that authorities had taken note of the concerns raised by residents and that intelligence teams had already begun investigating allegations of extortion, favouritism and misuse of public resources. He warned that anyone found frustrating government programmes would face the law.
Opio also urged residents to continue reporting cases of corruption and abuse of office through the appropriate government channels, saying public participation remained critical to improving service delivery.
Assistant RDC Kirya Joel Jonathan called on public servants to uphold professionalism, integrity, and fairness while executing their duties.
He reminded government workers that they had been entrusted with serving the public and should uphold transparency, accountability, and fairness in implementing government programmes. He stressed that every beneficiary deserved equal treatment regardless of political affiliation or personal connections.
Kirya also appealed to residents to safeguard government projects and work closely with local leaders to ensure development reached every household.
Deputy RDC Francis Okwameri reaffirmed the government’s commitment to monitoring wealth creation programmes and enhancing service delivery across Otuke District.
He said Community Barazas provided the government with an opportunity to hear directly from citizens and pledged that all complaints raised during the meeting would be followed up, with responsible officers held accountable where necessary. He added that the government’s priority remained improving livelihoods through the effective implementation of programmes such as the Parish Development Model and the restocking initiative while maintaining peace, security, and stability.
Okwameri thanked residents for their continued cooperation with the government and urged them to remain united in promoting peace, security, and socio-economic development across the district.