Why Mutual Respect Matters for Citizen Engagement

Development actors and leaders across diverse sectors increasingly recognise mutual respect as foundational to their work, especially for those seeking to strengthen inclusive governance.

Yet for many, mutual respect is treated as a buzzword—something development professionals talk about as a “feel-good” concept that appeals to practitioners, but may seem abstract to public officials struggling to visualise or measure impact because their mandate is to deliver tangible services. 

However, evidence from Sauti za Wananchi, The Barometer, and other studies consistently shows that citizens have a deep thirst for leadership that values and respects them. When asked what respect means, citizens describe it in convenient terms: being given notice of planned meetings; receiving adequate information to make informed choices; being listened to when sharing feedback; leaders delivering on promises and taking action on concerns; and showing up when invited by the community.

While these expectations seem basic and easy to ignore, people continue to yearn for them, or what is offered is found to be insufficient. This raises important questions: if mutual respect is easy to give and seemingly cost-free, why is it so elusive? How does it manifest in practice? How can it be measured to determine its value, benefits, or impact? How do we know when people are truly experiencing respect?

In this article, I do not attempt to answer these questions directly. Instead, I share a firsthand experience that continues to replay in my mind—an experience of mutual respect in a public space during an election season, where power dynamics could easily have tilted the platform, but the leaders were very intentional. 

In November 2025, I joined a team of facilitators from the Office of the Prime Minister, working with the Resident District Commissioner, to convene a community Baraza in Kyenjojo District. A Baraza is a public platform where communities engage leaders to review performance by asking questions about the reports presented, seeking information, and sharing feedback grounded in lived experiences, on the one hand, while leaders respond directly.

By nature, Barazas are feared and loved in equal measure. Public officials are subjected to public scrutiny on the one hand, while communities see them as rare opportunities to question leaders and express dissatisfaction; at times, they have even been used to settle political scores. 

This Baraza, however, was different.

The tone and posture of the leaders helped level power dynamics. They created a safe environment that encouraged women, men, and youth to speak confidently, demand answers respectfully, and engage meaningfully. In return, leaders presented comprehensive reports, answered questions openly, and committed to specific actions.

For the first time, I witnessed as many women as men actively participating. Youth asking questions and staying through the entire session until they received answers. Moderators acknowledge each participant who raised a concern or shared feedback and ensure timely, respectful responses. 

By the close of the dialogue, district leadership pledged to address several issues. The Office of the Prime Minister had identified policy bottlenecks affecting service delivery—particularly procurement—which, if addressed, could improve outcomes nationally. The community received accurate, timely information, and, most importantly, their confidence was significantly strengthened.

To a first-time observer, the engagement might have seemed scripted—almost too reasonable to be true. But it was not. The rules of engagement were clear. Leaders set the right tone. The head of the civil service ensured all departmental heads were present and fully prepared with reports for FY 2024/25. Discussions focused intensely on health and roads, where most concerns emerged, and they were thoroughly discussed to the satisfaction of participants; everyone walked away feeling they had gained something.

Witnessing what meaningful citizen engagement looks like in practice was refreshing and hopeful. It reaffirmed that constructive dialogue between citizens and leaders is possible when both are intentional and grounded in mutual trust.

Two lessons stayed with me on that cold day’s engagement. First, leadership with a listening posture creates space for genuine citizen input. Prepared, responsive leaders inspire participation, build confidence, and strengthen trust. Second, Barazas achieve far more when used as tools for progressive evaluation rather than post-mortems—allowing feedback to inform ongoing improvements in service delivery rather than merely assigning blame after the fact.

This post was written by Violet Alinda, Country Lead, Twaweza Uganda.