Dokolo what's your vision?

Dokolo district is one of the new districts in Uganda inaugurated in 2006 having been carved out of Lira district (formerly Dokolo County in Lira District). Being among the youngest, it is expected to learn from the failures and successes of the relatively older ones and therefore perform better within the available resources. I believe that one of the factors for good performance is a common vision derived through an extensive consultative process. I am aware that an open consultative meeting was held in Kampala in August 2005. I am not aware there was a follow-up meeting thereafter. Being new, the district needs to be built on a firm foundation of a clear vision focused on improved livelihoods / welfare of the people of Dokolo and their development partners. Mine is a proposal meant to provoke discussion that could, hopefully, culminate into a broader discussion leading to the adoption of a common vision for the district. I am not in any way prescribing a panacea. I do, however, believe that Dokolo has the potential of becoming a model district within a few years from inception if such a direction is pursued.

I would love to see Dokolo being a district whose people are well nourished, healthy, secure, intellectually competent, socially and economically productive with a strong sense of moral dignity. Some of the probable elements of such a vision include the following. All members of the district together with other development partners such as the central government, NGOs, foreign donors, etc working:

• Towards food security throughout the district even in the aftermath of unfavourable weather. This would involve enhanced and diversified agricultural production, marketing, produce preservation / processing.
• To provide easy access to well-facilitated health service facilities with highly motivated qualified professionals.
• To provide security of life and property of the community in every corner of the district; respect and commitment to common local, national and international security guidelines.
• Generate / develop expertise and skills of a nature and quality that matches local and regional performance requirements and global standards; improving information management and language competence is vital (both local and foreign e.g. Luo, Kumam, Ateso, Swahili, English, French, Spanish).
• Enhance the level of social and civic responsibility; encouragement of teamwork and peer development.
• Proactively endeavor to engage in economically profitable ventures (in local and foreign markets), judiciously harnessing / investing in the vast / abundant natural and human resources. Enhance and harness the opportunities associated with its ‘hub’ location.
• Practice of basic human rights and responsibility of one to another; integrity; respect of persons and cultural/institutional systems.

Such a vision would be achieved through commitment and deliberate action by all (irrespective of ethnic / political inclination) starting with working out strategies and subsequently implementing them. The following values would be vital in guiding the implementation process:

• Accountability.
• Integrity.
• Teamwork / harnessing the power of synergy.
• Respect for self, others, nation and God.
• Excellence.

I wish I could persuade the people of Dokolo district to desist from the misconception that political organisations’ visions translate into the district’s (country’s) vision. Dokolo’s foundation should be built on a vision owned by all and that surpasses all political and ethnic inclinations. All political organisations active in Dokolo should only propose programmes within the district’s grand vision. The other districts and indeed Uganda could borrow a leaf.

I hail from Dokolo District.