His message was direct: absenteeism and late reporting among teachers would no longer be tolerated. Salaries of those who failed to report on time or absconded from duty would be withheld until compliance was restored.
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On a humid Thursday morning, 19th February 2026, the usually quiet grounds of Mpunge Sub County headquarters stirred with unusual anticipation. Leaders, civil servants, and education officials gathered under a white tent, their conversations hushed but urgent. The visit of the Chief Administrative Officer of Mukono District Local Government, Mr. Henry Ddamba, was not ceremonial. It was a mission of accountability.
Accompanied by members of the district technical team — Principal Assistant Secretary Mr. Kamara Daniel, Finance Officer Mr. Yasini Muwanga, Area Inspector of Schools Ms. Annita Namayanja, and District Communication Officer Mr. Kaddu Derrick Mbojjana — Mr. Ddamba had come to assess performance and confront uncomfortable truths.
A Stern Message to Teachers
When he finally rose to speak, his tone was calm but firm.
“Public service is a responsibility,” he began, scanning the crowd of headteachers and technical staff. “And responsibility demands presence.”
His message was direct: absenteeism and late reporting among teachers would no longer be tolerated. Salaries of those who failed to report on time or absconded from duty would be withheld until compliance was restored.
The warning hung heavily in the air.
For years, some schools in Mpunge and Katosi had struggled with inconsistent teacher attendance — a quiet crisis that eroded learning outcomes and frustrated parents. Now, the district leadership was drawing a line.
Challenges at the Grassroots
But the visit was not just about reprimands.
Local leaders used the opportunity to lay bare the realities they face daily. Ms. Leah Asingwire highlighted the lack of electricity across much of Mpunge, describing it as a brake on development. Declining fish stocks had squeezed local revenue streams, while a single Health Centre III struggled to serve the entire sub county.
LCIII Chairperson Ms. Namyalo Firida Muwanga acknowledged that supervision visits strengthened accountability but did not shy away from difficult truths: understaffing, teachers running private businesses during school hours, and weak revenue collection systems.
Across in Katosi Town Council, Town Clerk Mr. Magomu Kenneth painted a similar picture — inadequate staffing, no reliable transport for monitoring programmes or collecting revenue, political interference, and delayed fund releases. The absence of essential Point of Sale machines under the IRAS system further crippled revenue collection.
His appeal to the district was simple: strengthen capacity, improve taxpayer sensitization, and support operational efficiency.
“Budget What You Plan”
Ddamba’s response went beyond education.
“Stop budgeting for activities you did not plan,” he warned technical officers. “Public resources must strictly follow approved budgets.”
He emphasized financial discipline as the backbone of service delivery. Diverting funds, he said, undermines trust and stalls development.
Parish Chiefs were also cautioned to exercise transparency when selecting beneficiaries under the Parish Development Model, ensuring that government support reaches the rightful individuals.
On the Ground: Health and Livelihoods
The supervision extended beyond meeting halls. At Mpunge Health Centre III, the CAO toured cramped rooms and aging structures. The Health Centre In-Charge, Ms. Nabasumba, pointed to limited space and lack of staff accommodation as persistent barriers to quality care.
Later, in Katosi, the mood shifted. Along the lakeshore, women from the Yagaliza Ofune Women Fish Processors Association and the Nsanja Women Fish Processors and Traders Association demonstrated fish processing techniques. Despite dwindling catches, they had embraced value addition — smoking, packaging, and preserving fish to fetch better prices.
Ddamba commended their resilience. Their work, he noted, aligned with the Parish Development Model’s goal of increasing household incomes.
A District at a Turning Point
As the sun dipped lower, the supervision visit drew to a close. But its message lingered.
Mukono District, Mr. Ddamba affirmed, is committed to strengthening accountability, improving financial management, and enhancing coordination across lower local governments. Discipline, teamwork, and transparency, he insisted, are not optional — they are essential.
For teachers who had grown comfortable arriving late or skipping class, the warning was clear: the era of leniency is over.
For communities yearning for better services, the visit offered cautious hope — that with consistent supervision and firm leadership, promises of improved service delivery might finally become reality.
In Mpunge and Katosi, accountability is no longer a distant ideal. It has arrived, unannounced, and it is here to stay.
