Jane Muhindo: A small package from Kasese ready to lift Kampala's weight

Kampala has their girl. Jane Muhindo, she comes in a small package but apparently huge work ethics. And she is the new RCC

PEOPLE & POWER | In-coming Kampala Resident City Commissioner Jane Asiimwe Muhindo is her own introduction. From Kasese through Bunyangabu via Bushenyi and Rwampara, she is carrying with her a youthful exuberance that she has used to in public services over the last decade.

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A social worker, farmer, and hotelierMs Muhindo was born to Ms Dorothy Kabugho and the late Sowedi Bwambale, the two her "great inspiration in life".

"My name, Muhindo, is a Lukonzho name that signifies a change of sex of a child, meaning I follow a male sibling," she says.

She is a woman of many hats and interests. She is a farmer, a transporter, and a hotelier, balancing her professional responsibilities with private commitment to entrepreneurship.

And if such tact has been helping her a great deal in executing her mandate in handling the President's interests at the local government, she will certainly need a lot more of the same to run the capital.

“Kampala has many stakeholders, and I will need to do thorough stakeholder mapping," she says.

"We will coordinate our efforts because managing Kampala requires teamwork. I cannot do it alone; together, we will ensure that we deliver."

Ms Muhindo's foray into politics started with election to the Kasese District as a female youth councillor. Her leadership skills quickly shone through, leading to her election as the Deputy Speaker.

Then in 2018, she was appointed as the Resident District Commissioner for Bunyangabu, before being transferred to Bushenyi and later Rwampara.

A multilinguist, Ms Muhindo has never seen her steps up the political rungs as coming from any good connections to the movers and shakers in the system. Instead, she attributes her success to hard work rather than any connections within the government.

“It has nothing to do with connections in government or any close relationship to the President but rather hard work and persistence,” she says.

It was a hard-earned interview with the Nile Post as the in-coming RCC for Kampala kept this reporter on a call-again-later approach. She said she needed to first pick her appointment letter (next week) before committing to media interviews.

And even when she finally relented, she was measured in her responses, picking her tongue through the questions carefully like she had it gritted between her teeth and sidestepping others for "wait-and-try-me-again".

But how does she do it? I mean the job, not ducking questions.

Community work, Ms Muhindo says of her secret.

Apparently, her tact is to to get down to the common folks and work her way through their sleeves.

It is what she did in her previous roles as RDC in Bunyangabu, Bushenyi, and Rwampara, and she is eager to apply this experience in her new role as Kampala’s RCC.

“It is interesting working with the communities, and yes, different communities have different issues,| Ms Muhindo says. "For me, the experience from these districts has taught me valuable lessons that will guide me in handling Kampala."

The role of an RDC is often surrounded by speculation, with many believing that these positions are secured through lobbying and strong connections within the government.

However, Ms Muhindo trashes these notions, emphasizing the importance of merit and hard work.

“I don’t think it’s an issue of connections. The President has always identified cadres based on their work ethic and talent," she says.

"When you look at previous reshuffles, several individuals have worked their way up from various districts to Kampala. It’s about hard work and identifying talent.

"I am from the mountains of Kasese, far from the city’s political circles. But the President considers all Ugandans, regardless of their proximity to State House.”

That evasiveness shows up again when a question of what issues from her previous duty stations she would raise with the President if she was to have a one-on-one with him.

“When you are an RDC, you report through the line minister, and so the President is always aware of the issues in those districts. He receives intelligence reports regularly."

RDCs and RCCs are double edged swords. With powers to work in security and oversight on several public affairs and government programmes, these presidential appointees certainly enjoy it.

You get a gun, guards, can command security teams in your area and call the top shots in security meetings. But it is also this power that gives it's bearers imaginary wings and often make them attempt to fly into spaces where even astronauts have yet to attempt.

That is where reality meets fantasy.

Just last month, Hajat Hawa Namugenyi faced the ignominy when the double-edged felled her after she was exposed overstepping her mandate in land wrangles.

There are RDCs who have declared citizens persona non-grata in their jurisdictions and those who have made so many outrageous calls.

Ms Muhindo is certainly aware of it all. As well she did, because Kampala is a hot bed for political activism. Ms Muhindo feels RDCs should be able to bell the cat themselves - know their limits.

“Our mandate is specified within the law. We are chairpersons of security and are charged with the responsibility of monitoring government programmes," Ms Muhindo says.

"There are other stakeholders in the success of these programmes, such as elected leaders, who are representatives of the people and should be at the forefront. As RDCs and RCCs, we must know our limits, which are clearly defined within the law.”

However, knowing a limit is one thing - like professing a creed. The problem comes in the temptation to seek higher grounds.

For RDCs, it does not come any better than elective national politics through becoming a Member of Parliament (MP).

Ms Muhindo was chewed over this a little longer than the rest and when she came through, it was like she had polished it to make a good impression.

You know that "leadership is a gift from God" line, huh? Yes, that one. She said it like it was something she had grown up learning from a village communal church altar.

"It is the people who decide," she added, more like she was picking lines off President Museveni's bushera mug and 'therefore' during a national address.

And you bet! She actually brings the 'therefore' in.

"Therefore, you cannot say that I have been an RDC and use that as a stepping stone to contest," she says.

"No, I have served for more than six years, and political ambitions should be based on the environment and the current mood of the people in your area. While you cannot entirely rule out such ambitions, for now, I am focused on serving the people of Kampala in the capacity of RCC.”

Ms Muhindo takes pride in her achievements during her tenure as RDC in various districts. In Bunyangabu, she restored security along the mountain stretch and improved voter turnout in favor of the NRM government.

She recalls these achievements with a sense of fulfillment.

“In Bushenyi, around 2021, I led the fight against panga-wielding gangs that had started to terrorize the area. With the support of the UPDF, we got our boots on the ground, conducted night patrols for three months, and eventually restored sanity there,” Asiimwe recounted.

In Rwampara, she tackled the Parish Development Model irregularities head-on. “There was a lot of extortion, so we resorted to choosing beneficiaries by chance—writing numbers on small papers and letting people choose by luck,” she explained.

Asiimwe also addressed the critical issue of wetland encroachment in Rwampara. “Rwampara wetlands were on the verge of extinction until I, together with NEMA officials from the regional office in Mbarara, coordinated efforts to manage the situation.

As of today, 76% of the wetlands have been restored,” she proudly stated.

And now it is the Kampala Resident City Commissioner, certainly a big leap. But you wouldn't accuse her of climbing the tree from the top, eh?