Accountability in Action: Riamiriam Empowers Community Monitors to Demand Accountability in Karamoja
KOTIDO, UGANDA- In a bid to promote inclusive governance and service delivery in Karamoja, Riamiriam Civil Society Network-Karamoja (RCSN-K) has trained community monitors from Rengen sub-county in Kotido District.
The 30 Community Based Oversight Monitors consisting of 4 sub committees including Education, Health, Infrastructures, Water and Sanitation, equipped with essential advocacy skills, will champion the voices of marginalized communities, demanding accountability from authorities and promoting inclusive development.
According to Richard Omoding, Executive Director of RCSN-K, “The EGID project is a critical step towards empowering Karamoja’s communities. By strengthening community based oversight monitors’ advocacy skills, we’re creating a platform for citizens to demand better services and hold leaders accountable.”
The empowerment of the communities is to diversify their advocacy skills to engage constructively in their community development initiatives with government, private sector, and religious institutions to developing sustainable solutions to community challenges and issues
Ms; Dorcus Angom, Program Manager at RCSN-K, emphasized the importance of community-led initiatives.
“At the heart of Riamiriam CSN-K are the Local Communities, who are easily reached through the Community Based Oversight Monitors. An approach that is driven by the needs and aspirations of the local communities”, Angom explained.
She emphasizes the involvement of the local community in decision making processes which is a roadmap to ownership of development initiatives and sustainability. The Community Based Oversight Committee strengthening through capacity building and other mentorship initiatives is the first step to ensuring inclusive development in Karamoja.
Community monitors expressed enthusiasm about their new roles. “As a community monitor, I’ll ensure that our voices are heard and will never give up on my roles as a citizen in making my village and country a better place,” said Longoli Lilian, a community monitor from Rengen sub-county.
“We’ll participate in the budget conferences and other planning meetings in our Sub Counties and if given opportunities even at the district level to inform the monitoring of the infrastructural development, Health, Education, Water and Sanitation initiatives for better services delivery in my Sub County.”
