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By Aggrey Baba
As consensus continues to grow among political leaders, technical officials, security operatives and ordinary people of Nansana, Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) in charge of the municipality, Charles Lwanga has emerged as one of the most impactful RDCs in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area and Uganda as a whole.
Like all deputy RDCs, Lwanga was deployed by President Museveni to coordinate security agencies, popularize government programs, monitor service delivery, fight corruption and ensure that government interventions reach the intended beneficiaries, a demanding assignment whose success largely depends on one’s ability to work with both political and technical leaders while maintaining the confidence of the local people.
In many urban centres, this responsibility is made even more difficult by political polarization, land wrangles, crime and the pressure that comes with managing a rapidly growing population. Few municipalities present as many challenges as Lwanga’s Nansana, which comprises four divisions, 29 parishes and 130 villages, making it one of the largest municipalities in Greater Kampala, with a population of over 600,000 people.
For many years, Nansana was widely known as an opposition stronghold where government programs often faced skepticism and where political competition tended to be intense. Yet local leaders say that in recent years, the municipality has registered notable progress in the implementation of government programs, security coordination and service delivery, achievements many attribute to the coordination role played by Charles Lwanga and the team he leads.
One area where Lwanga’s impact has been most visible is the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), President Museveni’s flagship wealth-creation initiative aimed at lifting households from subsistence to the money economy.
Sources within the municipality indicate that by August 2024, when Lwanga arrived in Nansana, implementation of PDM was facing several challenges. But working closely with the Town Clerk, the District Internal Security Officer (DISO), parish chiefs and other technical officers, he intensified monitoring and follow-up mechanisms aimed at ensuring that government funds reached genuine beneficiaries.
Nansans received approximately Ugx 10 billion under the PDM program, and Mulengera News was told that the money was successfully disbursed to qualifying beneficiaries, many of whom have since invested in agriculture, piggery, poultry keeping and other income-generating activities.
The results have been significant enough for Nansana Municipality to be ranked among the best-performing local governments in the country regarding PDM implementation, monitoring and performance. In recognition of these achievements, the municipality was ranked third in the country and received recognition from the Office of the Prime Minister, which was presented to Charles in Munyonyo, by the prime Minister Robinah Nabanja herself.
Supporters of Lwanga say the achievement was not accidental but rather a result of deliberate monitoring, regular field visits and close collaboration between political leaders and technical staff.
Beyond PDM, the municipality has also been implementing Emyooga, another government wealth-creation initiative through which approximately Ugx 2.5 billion was disbursed to various SACCOs. Whereas challenges of mismanagement emerged in some groups, particularly involving leaders accused of misappropriating the money, local authorities have continued efforts aimed at recovering the money and ensuring accountability.
Lwanga has equally been active in supporting other government empowerment initiatives targeting youth, women, boda boda riders and informal sector operators.
Under government skilling programs, young people from Nansana have benefited from vocational training opportunities at centres such as Gombe Polytechnic and Kasozi Skilling Centre, where they acquire practical skills in plumbing, mechanics, hairdressing, detergent making, guidance and counselling, among others.
The municipality has also benefited from the Presidential Industrial Hubs initiative. Local leaders say young women from Nansana have already received support through SACCO structures established under the program, with government funds deposited directly on their accounts to support income-generating activities.
Boda boda operators have equally benefited from government interventions under the Kampala Metropolitan program, while garage operators and other groups have been mobilized to participate in wealth-creation initiatives.
Many local leaders believe these programs have contributed significantly to improving household incomes and creating opportunities for young people who would otherwise struggle to secure employment.
Lwanga’s supporters also point to his role in monitoring major infrastructure projects currently being undertaken within the municipality.
Among these is the Nansana-Wamala-Jinja Kaloli Road project valued at approximately Ugx 41 billion and the Nansana-Nabweru-Lugoba road project worth about Ugx 35 billion.
There is also ongoing work on the Busukuma-Kasozi-Buwambo road corridor, which residents expect to improve connectivity and boost economic activity within the area.
Sources say the RDC has consistently worked with municipal engineers and other technical officers to monitor progress on these projects and ensure that contractors remain accountable.
The health sector has equally witnessed improvements, with Government undertaking upgrades (constructing accommodation facilities for health workers) at facilities such as Matugga Health Centre III and Buwambo Health Centre IV while constructing staff accommodation for health workers at various facilities. Similar housing projects are expected to be commissioned at Nabweru Health Centre III.
Community members say improved supervision and coordination have helped ensure that these projects move forward and remain aligned with government priorities.
Security remains another area where Charles Lwanga is widely credited.
Working alongside the DISO, local council (LC) leaders and District Police Commanders (DPCs) from Nansana, Kawempe, Matugga and Kasangati divisions, he has helped strengthen community policing initiatives aimed at combating crime and improving cooperation between the people and security agencies.
Local leaders say this collaboration has contributed to the disruption of criminal gangs and improved public confidence in security institutions. Recent operations have led to the arrest of several notorious suspects accused of terrorizing residents through robbery, extortion and related crimes, with the Notorious ‘Kasolo group’ gang leader known to many as “Mbooli-mbooli” being apprehended.
Lwanga has also been active in addressing land disputes, which remain a major source of conflict in many parts of Wakiso District. Through mediation meetings and stakeholder engagement, various land wrangles have reportedly been resolved, enabling affected residents to access justice without lengthy and costly court processes.
There have also been operations targeting fraudulent schemes and individuals accused of exploiting vulnerable members of the public. In an operation led by Lwanga himself, local authorities recently intervened against individuals linked to Global Alliance, an organisation accused of extorting money from parents under questionable arrangements where the youth are promised jobs, but end up working for the company in an enslaved manner.
Several suspects were arrested and victims rescued during the operation.
Politically, many NRM leaders credit Lwanga with contributing to improved support for the party in a municipality long regarded as an opposition stronghold.
During the recent election campaigns, Nansana experienced relatively peaceful campaigns, where opposition candidates freely conducted campaigns while security agencies maintained law and order. Local leaders say Lwanga consistently encouraged political tolerance and advised candidates to organize their activities peacefully, and the outcome, according to NRM supporters, was a more competitive political environment that enabled the yellow side to improve its performance in many areas.
Whereas the municipality mayoralty remained in opposition hands, the NRM performed strongly in several lower elective positions. Most Councillors were elected on the yellow ticket while three of the four division mayors emerged from the NRM, and even the only independent one is NRM, gains which his supporters believe they reflected growing public confidence in government programs and improved service delivery at the local level.
Those who have worked closely with Lwanga insist that much of the progress registered in Nansana has been the result of teamwork, pointing to his ability to work harmoniously with the Town Clerk, DISO, municipal engineer, DPCs, and other technical officers in pursuit of common objectives. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
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