Africa-Press – Uganda. The Secretary to the Presidential Award team has urged the public to participate in the identification of deserving persons for meritorious recognition by the Head of State.
The move is aimed at increasing public participation and trust in the presidential awards and harnessing its intended objective to promote exemplary leadership and inspire the public to strive for excellence at all levels of service.
Every year the Head of State decorates outstanding achievers in various categories of service with medals at national ceremonies in recognition of their contribution to national development.
However, this activity has over the decades been reduced to a ritual rather than its intended objective of encouraging a positive mindset towards excellence as enshrined in the National Honours and Awards Act. Some of the leaders say they have not been aware of the selection criteria.
“It inspires the people in the community to aspire to do good things and even inculcate patriotism and nationalism in the people,” said Hajat Malole Zamina, the Head of the Chancery department in the office of the president, adding that it will help to create role models for the young people.
This is attributed to awareness and exclusive selection criteria. Sironko Resident District Commissioner Denis Balwanilega says the selection is currently done by the District security committee headed by the Resident District commissioners who rely on information from Diso’s office. Balwanirega further revealed that the call for nominees often comes on short notice when the district is due to host a national event.
“But sometimes there are loopholes that is why somebody’s name is identified and after the award you see people complaining” Said Balwanirega.
In an effort to bridge the gap, the Secretary to the presidential award committee and Head of the Chancery department in the Office of the Presidential Hajat Mulole Zamina has embarked on a nationwide tour to engage district authorities on ways to identify outstanding persons for the meritorious recognition by the Head of State.
She began her tour in Sironko District where she encouraged districts to constitute multi-sectoral honours and awards committees whose role will be to receive nominations from the public, examine and compile a list of nominees for subsequent inclusion on the national list of candidates for recognition by the head of state.
Hajat Mulole encouraged members of the public to liaise with the RDC’s office to nominate persons who have made outstanding contributions to their communities, in education, health, leadership, agriculture, and business, among others cutting across the public and private sector.
“The criteria of identifying these people is that it has to go down to the community, how they appreciate the outstanding personalities” said Hajat Malome adding that “first it is important that they know how to nominate, so we encourage the leaders to tell them how to access these (nomination) forms”
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