Longest serving Chief Administrative Officer handed over office on Friday 27th January 2017

Sembabule

Mr Bimbona Simon handed over office of Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) on Friday 27th January 2017 to Mr Bataringaya Willy. The former transferred services to Kaberamaido District while the later from Mpigi. The handover ceremony was witnessed by the District Chairperson Dr Muhumuza Ellery, the Resident District Commissioner Mr Baguma, the Head of Finance and Head of Internal Audit Mr Musinguzi Charles and Opio Stanly respectively, other District staffs and the Media.

In the last 43 months, Simon has been the longest serving CAO for 19months since 1st July 2015 having succeeded Dr Juma Nyende and Mr Yiga Anthony who served for 12 months each.

While the District is infamous for high staff attrition among professional cadres in Heath, Education, Engineering and Management services, this did not deter Simon from propelling the mission of the District “To plan and implement programs for socioeconomic transformation”

According to Mr Sseruyange Ramadhan the Head of Planning Department in Sembabule District, Mr Bimbona has transformed the District in the following areas;

  1. Local Revenue Enhancement with a focus on increasing revenue collection and prudent management. The leading sub counties - Ntuusi and Lugusulu, collected 22 and 15 million respectively in only 90 days (October - December) above their targets. The District Chairperson confirmed this by thanking the outgoing CAO on addition to his regular consultations with the District Executive during his term of service.
  2. Project formulation, the District Planner (who joined the District in 2001as a community development officer in Rural Water Sector) remarked that the acumen of Mr Bimbona was a missing link in transformation of the District since its establishment in 1997. One of the strategic projects that the CAO left in final stages of implementation was mechanization of agriculture by revamping the District’s garden tractor that has been redundant for over a decade. In Simon’s handover report he appealed to the new CAO to ensure that this project is implemented sooner than later or at worst be put in the Budget Framework Paper of 2017/2018 because it will transform the District beyond ordinary targets.
  3. Information and communication technology: it was during Simon’s term as CAO that Sembabule District acquired a vibrant Internet with LAN and WIFI covering over 100 Metre radius. It  has saved the District a huge cost of communicating with Central Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and saves time of transferring information and data in a remote part of Uganda with Sembabule’s magnitude where the trunk road (VillaMaria-Sembabule 47KM) is poor. The District has launched a worldwide website WWW.sembabuledlg.go.ug, boosting e-communication said Ramadhan the District Planner. Another project in offing was construction of a perimeter fence and mechanical service bay for District vehicles to save the cost of servicing from Masaka using Tenderers.
  4. Collecting the unlike terms: Sembabule District is now more united than before, this prompted the District Chairperson to declare Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st January 2017 as days for accompanying Mr Bimbona to Kaberamaido District as CAO. He also offered transport and other stipends (from the District coffers) for at least 30 District technical and political staffs during his journey to a new work station. “I have learned a lot from you Simon and owe you school fees” Dr Elly Muhumuza the District Chairperson remarked during the handover ceremony. A farewell and welcoming party for the CAOs is scheduled for 2nd February 2017 in Sembabule (fully funded by the District).  

By Sseruyange Ramadhan (MA EPP MUK)

Friday, February 3, 2017