KAMPALA– Leaders from Kampala district, at Local Government level have been asked to always make decisions and promises backed up by data from reliable sources.
At the workshop organized by United Nations Association of Uganda (UNAU) leaders who included Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Councilors and other leaders were sensitized about the importance of data in the planning process.
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“We need to sensitize the leaders on the importance of data in planning process, because leaders at grass roots need to understand the use of data in what they do.
In this country, as it is like in many other countries, all development plans or budgets start from grass root, whereby the village makes a plan in consultation with village leaders and residents which are later fed into parish, Sub county later to district untill it reaches the National Development Plan (NDP).” Remarked Richard Baguma Tinkasimire, UNAU General Secretary.
He also asked the leaders, to integrate Citizen-Generated Data (CGD) into planning, decision-making, and implementation of programs so as to benefit their communities as well as, to align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
“There is a need also to have citizen validated data with local context since it involves local context, here people have had experience and can predict better than some of the consultants.” added Baguma
Onesmus Katusiime, from the SDG Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister, emphasized the need for all leaders to first appreciate the importance of data and later sensitize their voters about the benefits that come with reliable data. “Once people learn learn the importance of data, they will appreciate and coordinate with data collectors whenever they are approached.”
Marie Nanyanzi, Senior Programs Officer at Twaweza East Africa, also one of the facilitators in this workshop, urged leaders to make use of available data and statistics from UBOS, to sensitize the members of the general public about the importance of data in addressing their day to day challenges.
Kaggwa Deon, Councilor Rubaga Division Urban council, one of the participants stated that, he has benefited from the engagement and promised to share the knowledge acquired with other leaders who have not made it to this engagement.
“Whenever the government is collecting data, we are always happy because we know that eager the government will use it in improving their livelihoods. It shouldn’t be only used in health sector in planning , but also in other fields.”
“We have really benefited from this workshop, because the faciltators have shared a lot of important data, benefiting is directly. We have also learnt that, through direct engagement with local leaders and individuals at village level , we can acquire first hand information which can guide us throughout all our planning purposes.”
She therefore,.thanked UNAU for always engaging them as local leaders especially on topics aiming at improved service delivery.
The workshop was held under a theme: From Voices to Action: Citizen Generated Data and SDGs- Empowering Local leaders in Kampala’s Divisions to Harness Community Data for Sustainable Development.”
