Dear Eric,
When I visited you in your Jinja office in 2016 you were a Deputy Resident District Commissioner. I was struck by the chain of people who were seeking to see you or have their problems solved. I was also struck by the heap of files that took up most of the office space. You seemed to be swimming in files. I was impressed by your simplicity and love for your work as well as spproachability. I wanted to say hello but also to get a glimpse of the young man who was working far more than his boss.
I thought your boss had delegated too much to you but was convinced it helped to build your administrative capacity since you are from an environmental and geographical background. I did not know why you were transferred to Kumi, but you remained attached to Jinja, and was always talking on a diversity of issues on various fm radios in the municipality.
I understood that you were returned to Jinja as the Resident District Commissioner because the people of the District wanted it on account of what you had done to pacify the area. I guess the President’s decision to make you the Resident District Commissioner of Jinja District was purposeful, and believe you have done your work with great determination and zeal. You have over time acquired a lot of experience, and you have made many friends and many enemies.
Experience is the best teacher. Do not regret the experience you have gone through recently. God purposed it. Remember he knew you even before you were formed in the womb of your mum. He also conceived a plan, not to harm you but to prosper you. That is what He says in His Word, the Bible. He will fulfil that plan in you.
Continue to do your work without fear or favour, and with honesty even if you are surrounded by dishonest people more than honest ones. There is nothing that supersedes honesty. Honesty reflects character and integrity. These two traits are built over time. That is what you have been doing. Continue building your character and integrity. If people don’t appreciate God will.
So do not trust any human being, however broadly he or she smiles when he or she meets. . Trust only God. Human beings can pretend and lie, but God is not a human being that he should pretend and lie. He knows why it is you He wanted to be Jinja’s Resident District Commissioners, and without a Deputy.
I have been following your character and integrity building and development. While others have not been amused by the fact that character and integrity have been germinating in you, I have been happy. That is why I wrote that article on you when you were arrested. You will read it now that you have been released, on bail. Note what I said and modify your ways of work. Learn to delegate and then just follow up on what you have delegated effectively and with the appropriate time me yardstick so that you are not overwhelmed by work and failure. Believe that you will not be let down by those you delegate to and support them. Desist from blame games. They demean rather than build character and integrity. We have a critical shortage of men and women who do not fear to delegate or who care about character and integrity.
Way back in 1970/71at Basoga College, Mwiri, I learned how to delegate and follow up in order to lead and manage. I was appointed to be Head of Hannington House. Bug I was transferred from another House, Presidents House to lead Hannington House. I was also assigned to be Perfect in Charge of the School Cafeteria. Ten I simultaneously became President of the Debating Society, Dramatic Society and Social and Cultural Society. At the same time I remained a student of Biology, Chemistry and Geography.
How was I able to do all these things simultaneously? Simple. Effective delegation, support to those I delegated my duties and responsibilities to, and effective following up and belief in myself.
When I went to Hanningon House, it was the worst House in Busoga College, Mwiri. It had the worst behaved students. One such student I remember very well was called Ochwo.However, within a short one it became the best House in the School. Effective delegation was the explanation. The strategy I used was to give responsibilities to students who were hitherto bad and make it easy for them to access me. I was able to build leadership and management capacities in them. This was the same result with regard to the School Cafeteria and the three societies I was President of.
So when I became Secretary-General of the Makerere University Academic Staff Association in 1997 and the Chairman of the Nile Basin Regional Nongovernmental Organisation for 11 countries, called Nile Basin Discourse, in 2008 I was building my experiences at Basoga College, Mwiri. I continued to delegate and follow up effectively. I did not need to be everywhere everytime. So if I succeeded I did not succeed alone. If I failed it was collective failure. And if there was blame it was collective blame.
I pray that this letter acts as a reference for you as you continue to build your character and integrity in a country where these two are endangered species.
Settle and work. You will be praised and loved by some, and hated and vilified by others. Tread more carefully to be able to identify who are for you and those against you. Do not discriminate Jinjans on basis of religious or political affiliations. Be fair to all. Politicians can be good friends, but can also become enemies very fast or gradually. Relate to them carefully.
Finally, as you’d your work, remember you are still a young who could serve Uganda well into the future across many political regimes. Do not work as if the current regime you are serving is the last one in Uganda. Others will come. You have to be varsatile and futuristic and build yourself as a man for all seasons. That is critical.
Thank you.
