Presidency officials urge Lira leaders to prioritize unity and service delivery

Lira:  Senior government officials from the Office of the President have urged leaders in Lira City to embrace unity, transparency, and active citizen engagement as key tools for improving public service delivery in the region.

The call was made during a high-level mobilisation and service delivery evaluation meeting held on Friday. The session brought together political, technical, religious, and civil society leaders across Lira City and the greater Lango Sub-region.

Lt Col (Rtd) Ambako Kibrai, Senior Presidential Advisor on Mobilisation, expressed deep concern over persistent inefficiencies in education and healthcare two sectors he described as critical to national transformation.

“The government pays for tuition, facilities, and learning materials under Universal Primary and Secondary Education. Parents are only expected to provide meals. Yet schools continue to levy additional charges, burdening families and undermining policy,” Kibrai noted.

He further pointed to major shortcomings in the Education Management Information System (EMIS), which, he said, fails to effectively track learners through the full education cycle.

“Out of one million children who start Primary One, only about 600,000 complete Primary Seven. Where do the 400,000 go? Who is accountable?” he asked.

On healthcare, Kibrai acknowledged improvements in medical supplies but raised concern about recurring medicine stockouts and poor communication in public health facilities.

“When drugs run out, health workers must inform patients transparently. A lack of communication erodes trust,” he warned, urging stronger grassroots mobilisation on health education and accountability.

The meeting was convened by Maj. Martha Asiimwe, Head of the RDC Secretariat and Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), alongside her deputy, Dr. Str Akiror MaryGrace. The RDC Secretariat, created by President Yoweri Museveni in 2018, monitors service delivery and upholds integrity in public institutions.

Dr. Akiror said the meeting focused not on corruption, but on responsible governance and delivery of public services.

“Our people are hungering for services. Some officers disappear from duty yet expect full salaries what are they being paid for?” she questioned. “If a patient dies because a doctor is absent, who is responsible? These are the hard truths we must confront.”

She challenged every leader to reflect on their personal and professional legacy, urging greater accountability and moral responsibility in public service.

Maj. Asiimwe echoed the need for synergy between political and technical leaders. “Government alone cannot deliver services. It takes teamwork mayors, RDCs, city clerks, and citizens must work together,” she said.

She commended the Lira City Clerk for exemplary performance, encouraging other leaders to emulate the same commitment to duty.

“Tough times don’t last, but tough teams do,” Asiimwe remarked.

Emphasizing the importance of communication, she added: “Delivering services without informing citizens is like pouring water into a container no one drinks from. Information is not a luxury it’s part of service delivery.”

Lira City was chosen to launch the Secretariat’s nationwide mobilisation campaign due to its central role in the Lango Sub-region.

“From Lira, the message will ripple out to Amolatar, Otuke, Alebtong, and beyond,” Asiimwe said.

The session closed with a unified call to action: for all leaders, regardless of political affiliation, to prioritize service delivery and put the needs of ordinary citizens first.

“It’s not about which political party we support it’s about the Ugandan who walks into a school, health centre, or office seeking help. That is who we serve,” concluded Dr. Akiror.

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