Archival Sense
Senior Member
- Dec 16, 2025
- 131
- 151
Taxpayers could face an additional annual burden of Shs29.079 billion if Parliament approves a proposal to significantly increase the salaries of Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), their deputies, and assistant RDCs.
The proposal was tabled by Alex Byarugaba, chairperson of Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee, during presentation of the committee report on the 2026/27 Ministerial Policy Statement for the Office of the President.
Under the proposed structure, RDCs’ monthly salaries would rise from Shs2.29 million to Shs9 million. Deputy RDCs would earn Shs5 million, up from Shs1.28 million, while assistant RDCs’ salaries would increase from Shs877,216 to Shs2.695 million.
Uganda currently has 146 RDCs, 170 deputy RDCs, and 432 assistant RDCs.
According to the committee, the salary review is necessary because RDCs and their deputies have reportedly gone nearly two decades without meaningful pay enhancement, despite inflation and rising living costs significantly reducing their earning power.
“The committee established that for almost 20 financial years, salaries for RDCs and deputy RDCs have remained stagnant,” Byarugaba told Parliament.
The committee further argued that RDCs currently earn less than some technical officers they supervise, particularly Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), whose salaries have already been improved in recent years. Legislators say the imbalance has weakened the authority and effectiveness of presidential representatives at district level.
The proposal comes at a time when government is undertaking broader public sector salary reviews. Government has already committed Shs500 billion toward phased salary enhancement for arts and humanities teachers, while discussions are ongoing regarding technical officers and local government staff.
Under the wider salary review proposals, primary school headteachers would see salaries rise from Shs980,000 to Shs1.5 million, while deputy headteachers would move from Shs773,000 to Shs1.3 million. Arts teachers in secondary schools are also expected to benefit from substantial increases.
The proposal was tabled by Alex Byarugaba, chairperson of Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee, during presentation of the committee report on the 2026/27 Ministerial Policy Statement for the Office of the President.
Under the proposed structure, RDCs’ monthly salaries would rise from Shs2.29 million to Shs9 million. Deputy RDCs would earn Shs5 million, up from Shs1.28 million, while assistant RDCs’ salaries would increase from Shs877,216 to Shs2.695 million.
Uganda currently has 146 RDCs, 170 deputy RDCs, and 432 assistant RDCs.
According to the committee, the salary review is necessary because RDCs and their deputies have reportedly gone nearly two decades without meaningful pay enhancement, despite inflation and rising living costs significantly reducing their earning power.
“The committee established that for almost 20 financial years, salaries for RDCs and deputy RDCs have remained stagnant,” Byarugaba told Parliament.
The committee further argued that RDCs currently earn less than some technical officers they supervise, particularly Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), whose salaries have already been improved in recent years. Legislators say the imbalance has weakened the authority and effectiveness of presidential representatives at district level.
The proposal comes at a time when government is undertaking broader public sector salary reviews. Government has already committed Shs500 billion toward phased salary enhancement for arts and humanities teachers, while discussions are ongoing regarding technical officers and local government staff.
Under the wider salary review proposals, primary school headteachers would see salaries rise from Shs980,000 to Shs1.5 million, while deputy headteachers would move from Shs773,000 to Shs1.3 million. Arts teachers in secondary schools are also expected to benefit from substantial increases.
