In Summary: Kamuli District LCV Chairperson Kaloli Dhizaala has replaced Sarah Sambya with long-serving district councillor Victoria Apilli as Secretary for Finance, Administration and Planning, saying the reshuffle is intended to improve efficiency, strengthen grassroots engagement and accelerate service delivery.
Kamuli, Uganda — Kamuli District LCV Chairperson Kaloli Dhizaala has reshuffled his cabinet, replacing Sarah Sambya with long-serving district councillor Victoria Apilli as Secretary for Finance, Administration and Planning in a move he says is aimed at improving efficiency and strengthening public participation in district affairs.
The change was announced during a district council meeting on Thursday morning, with Dhizaala saying the reshuffle was informed by the need to improve service delivery and ensure leaders remain accessible to communities at the grassroots.
Dhizaala said his administration was operating under a commitment to the people of Kamuli and that cabinet members must have sufficient time to engage residents and respond to their needs.
“When we swore in I categorically put it clear that we have a running contract in trust of the people of Kamuli and my manifesto based on bulungi bwansi is people based so whoever does not have time for the people/grassroot interface should be let go because we should be running our affairs on full auto gear,” Dhizaala said.
Sambya, who served as acting district chairperson following the death of former chairperson Maxwell Kuwembula, had been tipped for the vice chairperson position before being appointed Secretary for Finance, Administration and Planning.
Dhizaala said he found Sambya too occupied to adequately perform council activities, prompting him to assign the portfolio to Apilli.
Apilli is a long-serving district councillor representing workers. She previously contested for the district council speakership but lost the race.
Kamuli Chief Administrative Officer Ben Lawrence Marley told the council that the chairperson had the authority to assign council members to different portfolios under Section 16 of the Local Government Act, Cap 138. He said the reassignment was being undertaken within the applicable rules of procedure.
Marley called for closer cooperation between the district’s political leadership and technical staff, saying the administration needed to strengthen oversight, implementation and accountability to restore public confidence in local government systems.
“With the kisanja no sleep we need collaborative efforts, council actively playing its oversight roles and the technical team grounded in implementation for public demand accountability so as to restore confidence in the systems and mutually driving the district to achieve desired progress. We are pushing together to make Kamuli a Model district and we need a team on overdrive, self-driven, innovative and going the extra mile,” Marley said.
Apilli pledged to use her experience to strengthen coordination between council and the district administration, promising to prioritise representation, transparency and accountability.
“I am surprised, humbled but gratified that I have been trusted to serve our people, district and council in a very sensitive and strategic docket. I express my sincere appreciation and confidence bestowed upon me by our chairperson. It is a call to duty and service to people to which I pledge my commitment and passion,” Apilli said.
Sambya welcomed her replacement, saying she had accepted the reshuffle in good faith and viewed Apilli as a capable successor. “Victoria is a perfect replacement, choice and seasoned councilor with ability to rally councilors, executive and technical for better service. I served this district as acting chairperson and being a hustler, I look forward to better opportunities and my service to council is still abound,” she said.
She added that she remained committed to serving the district and expected to pursue other opportunities.
The reshuffle comes as the district leadership says it wants to strengthen grassroots engagement, improve oversight and accelerate the implementation of public service priorities.
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