PS Ben Kumumanya Urges Local Government Communicators to Champion Development Narratives

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, has called on Local Government Communication Officers across the country to actively communicate the positive developments and success stories taking place within their jurisdictions. He made the appeal while addressing participants at the Local Government Communication Officers’ meeting held at Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala.

The engagement, which brought together communication officers from districts, municipalities, and cities, focused on strengthening the role of communication in advancing Uganda’s socio-economic transformation agenda. The meeting was also attended by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, alongside senior officials from both ministries.

Kumumanya emphasized that effective communication remains a vital pillar in boosting service delivery and promoting citizen trust in government programmes. He noted that the public must be kept informed about the tangible progress made in sectors such as education, health, infrastructure, and the Parish Development Model (PDM).

“Every district, city, or municipality has registered achievements that need to be communicated to the public. Whether it’s the construction of a health centre, recruitment of teachers, road upgrades, or PDM success stories—these are developments worth sharing,” Kumumanya said.

He challenged communicators to move beyond routine administrative updates and instead craft engaging narratives that highlight the transformative impact of government interventions on communities. According to him, effective communication bridges the gap between service delivery and public perception, ensuring that citizens understand and appreciate ongoing government efforts.

The Permanent Secretary further noted that local government communicators serve as the voice of progress within their areas of jurisdiction and must therefore be proactive, accurate, and consistent in information dissemination.

“Your work is critical in shaping public understanding of what government is doing. Through effective communication, we can foster accountability, transparency, and community participation in development,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, underscored the importance of leveraging digital communication platforms to reach Uganda’s predominantly young population.

“Uganda’s population has an average age of about 16 years, and most of these young people are active on platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube,” she said. “Communication Officers must follow citizens wherever they are by adopting new media strategies that make government communication timely, relatable, and impactful.”

Dr. Zawedde also encouraged communicators to embrace ICT tools to improve efficiency, coordination, and access to government information, noting that technology plays a central role in the Digital Uganda Vision and the broader National Development Plan (NDP III and IV) objectives.

The meeting served as a platform for participants to share experiences, exchange best practices, and deliberate on innovative communication approaches that can enhance visibility for local government initiatives. It also reinforced the commitment of both the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to support communication officers in delivering accurate and timely information to the public.

PS Kumumanya reaffirmed the government’s dedication to empowering communication officers through capacity building and coordination, saying that an informed citizenry is essential for Uganda’s journey toward inclusive and sustainable development.

“Let us communicate progress with purpose, and together we shall strengthen the bond between government and the people,” he concluded.