Kayunga – The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Kayunga, Mr. Trevor Solomon Baleke, has cautioned political leaders and aspiring candidates against the growing practice of physically kneeling before voters in a bid to gain political favor, warning that the habit undermines leadership and fosters voter manipulation.
Mr. Baleke made the remarks on Wednesday during a service delivery monitoring exercise at Kawomya Health Centre III in Kangulumira Sub-county. He was accompanied by the Kayunga District Chairperson, councillors, and senior district technocrats.
His comments followed an incident in which a female councillor knelt before voters to beg for re-election.
“I strongly discourage this habit of kneeling before voters,” Mr. Baleke said. “It makes the electorate begin to underlook their leaders, which in turn breeds disrespect and diminishes the authority needed to implement meaningful development.”
The Deputy RDC argued that emotional appeals like kneeling and dancing have misled voters into choosing theatrics over substance.
“By kneeling and dancing for votes, we are misleading voters into electing entertainers rather than people of vision and ideas,” he said. “This trend has unfortunately resulted in the election of leaders who have retarded service delivery and slowed down development.”
Despite his criticism of the kneeling gesture, Mr. Baleke expressed satisfaction with the ongoing construction of a maternity ward at Kawomya Health Centre III, which he said is a sign of government’s commitment to improving rural healthcare.
“This maternity ward will bring services closer to the people and reduce the risks pregnant mothers face while trying to access far-off facilities,” he said.
The Deputy RDC further reminded residents of the tangible achievements of the NRM government under President Yoweri Museveni, citing improvements in roads, education, and health infrastructure in Kangulumira Sub-county.
“Government is currently injecting over one billion Shillings into schools, health centres, and roads in this area,” Mr. Baleke noted. “It is important that the people of Kangulumira continue supporting the NRM government so that these developments can be sustained and expanded.”
His remarks were met with approval from both local leaders and residents in attendance, many of whom acknowledged the importance of issue-based politics and accountable leadership.
The monitoring exercise aimed at assessing the state of public service delivery in the district and was part of broader government efforts to strengthen local governance and community engagement ahead of the 2026 elections.
