KYANKWANZI, Uganda — Minister for the Presidency and Budiope West Member of Parliament, Hon. Milly Babirye Babalanda, has challenged district political and technical leaders to move beyond activities, budgets and expenditure and focus on measurable results that improve the lives of Ugandans.
Babalanda made the call on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi, where she addressed a retreat for district political and technical leaders from the Ankole, Kasese, Bunyoro, Tooro and Kigezi sub-regions.
The retreat is aimed at aligning local government programmes, plans and budgets with the 2026–2031 NRM Manifesto and the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV).
In her keynote address, Babalanda commended President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his leadership and stewardship, which she said had enabled the NRM Government to sustain implementation of its programmes and register significant progress.
She reminded leaders that the Manifesto should be treated as a binding commitment to Ugandans rather than simply a political document.
“A manifesto is not merely a political document. It is a commitment to the people. Its success will ultimately be measured by whether the lives of Ugandans improve,” Babalanda said.
She said the true test of the 2026–2031 Manifesto would be felt at district, city, municipal, community and household levels through better schools and health facilities, increased agricultural productivity, improved roads, access to clean water and sanitation, expanded opportunities for youth and women, and more efficient public services.
Babalanda said districts are the critical link between Government policy and service delivery and directed local governments to align their development plans, budgets, work plans and performance targets with the priorities of NDP IV and the Manifesto.
She outlined the implementation chain as:
Manifesto → Plans → Budgets → Implementation → Monitoring → Results.
“The key question should be, ‘What has changed in the lives of our people?’ That is the standard by which we must measure our performance,” she said.
The Minister also called for stronger cooperation between political and technical leaders, urging Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), district chairpersons, mayors, NRM leaders, Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and town clerks to work as one team with mutual respect and shared accountability.
“Let us avoid unnecessary rivalry and conflict. Leadership must be judged by results, not by position,” she warned.
Babalanda warns against misuse of public funds
On accountability, Babalanda stressed the need for districts to strengthen financial management, procurement, project supervision and internal controls.
“Every shilling of public money is a public trust,” she said.
She directed leaders to ensure that citizens can clearly establish what has been committed, what has been delivered and what remains outstanding.
Babalanda introduced a monitoring principle aimed at strengthening early intervention, urging leaders to “monitor early, identify problems early and act early.”
She said monitoring should be used as a management tool to identify and address problems before they undermine Government programmes, rather than merely as a reporting requirement.
Babalanda placed wealth creation and increased household incomes at the centre of the Manifesto, challenging every district to identify and exploit its comparative advantages.
“Every district should ask: What can we produce? What can we add value to? Which markets can we access? What enterprises can create jobs? How can we increase household incomes?” she said.
She identified agricultural commercialisation, value addition, industrialisation, tourism, trade, innovation and the digital economy as key areas through which districts can stimulate economic growth and create jobs.
The Minister also called for improved education outcomes and retention, functional health facilities equipped with adequate health workers and medicines, and stronger support for vulnerable groups.
She said programmes targeting youth and women should be assessed not merely by the number of beneficiaries reached, but by the number of sustainable enterprises created and incomes increased.
Babalanda further urged district leaders to protect wetlands, forests and water sources while embracing digital transformation to improve local revenue collection, transparency and service delivery.
The Minister challenged participants to leave the retreat with concrete plans rather than another report.
“By the end of this retreat, every participant should return to their district with clarity, commitment and a practical action agenda… with priority commitments, required actions, resources, responsible officers, expected results and measurable indicators,” she said.
She concluded by urging leaders to translate the NRM Manifesto into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
“The 2026–2031 Manifesto is not merely a document to be implemented; it is a national commitment to be delivered. Our task is not simply to promise — our task is to deliver. Let us move from commitments → to action → to results → to lasting transformation.”
Babalanda urged leaders to exercise integrity, patriotism, discipline and accountability, reminding them that public office is a trust and that Ugandans expect tangible improvements in their quality of life.
She further told the leaders that President Museveni remains committed to serving Ugandans during the 2026–2031 period and beyond.
The retreat brought together the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, directors from the Manifesto Implementation Unit, RDCs, district chairpersons, city and municipal mayors, NRM district chairpersons, CAOs and town clerks.
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