Head of Public Service Urges Local Government Leaders to Embrace Proactive Leadership

Ms. Lucy Nakyobe, the Head of Public Service, has called upon Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and Town Clerks of cities and municipalities to adopt a more proactive and visible leadership approach within their respective duty stations. She emphasised the need for these local government accounting officers to extend beyond their conventional duties and initiate interventions that directly address community needs.

Ms. Nakyobe conveyed this crucial message during a meeting with CAOs and Town Clerks currently underway at the Grand Imperial Hotel in Kampala. Her remarks highlighted a desire for stronger, more engaged leadership at the local level to drive development and service delivery.

In his opening remarks at the same meeting, Mr. Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, outlined several priority areas for the accounting officers. He urged them to prioritise the critical task of recruitment to fill staffing gaps, intensify the fight against corruption within their ranks, and embrace the automation of local revenue management to enhance efficiency and transparency.

Furthermore, Mr. Kumumanya stressed the importance of road maintenance and robust supervision of extension services to ensure quality and accessibility for citizens. He also advised the accounting officers to effectively utilise their deputies to monitor staff performance at lower local governments and oversee overall service delivery, fostering a more distributed and effective oversight mechanism.

This call for heightened leadership and focused action comes at a pivotal time for local governance in Uganda, as the government continues its efforts to decentralise services and empower local authorities to drive development at the grassroots level. The emphasis on proactivity, integrity, and efficient resource management underscores the administration’s commitment to improving public service delivery across the nation.