Africa-Press – Uganda. The Minister of Local Government, Mr Raphael Magyezi, has directed the Mukono leadership to establish a new District Service Commission (DSC) before the end of the month.
The district has been operating without a functional DSC for close to two years, which has partly affected service delivery in the area.
The DSC is responsible for the appointment, promotion, disciplining and removal from office of all employees other than the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the deputy, town clerk and the deputy who are appointed by the central government.
According to Mr Magyezi, the continued failure by the leadership to constitute a fully functioning DSC is a dis-service to the people of Mukono.
“Please note that under Local Government Act, Section 54(2C) I am required to enforce compliance of the district local government with the law. Accordingly, you should submit the members of the District Service Commission without further hesitation and failure to do so by February 28, 2023, will attract stringent measures against you by the government,” the minister’s letter reads in part.
On January 19, Public Service Commission chairperson Winnie Agnes Kabogoza- Musoke wrote to Mukono District Council, responding to their letters dated November 25, 2022, and January 12,2023, regarding the appointment of DSC chairperson and a member representing urban authorities.
Ms Kabogoza also referred to the Solicitor General’s letter, which stated that when nominating a representative for urban authorities, it should jointly be done by the various executives of urban councils in the district and not by the district executive committee alone.
“The urban authorities had rightly during their March 10, 2022, meeting nominated Ms Kiondo Stella Margret as a representative for urban authorities within the provisions of Section 54 (2c) of the Local Government Act Cap. 243 and the only role of the district executive committee was to present the name to the district council for consideration,” Ms Kabogoza said in her letter.
She further explained that the action by the district leadership to engage the district executive committee to nominate Ms Sarah Katumba as a representative for urban authorities is contrary to the law and guidance of the Solicitor General and, therefore, unlawful.
“Likewise, the submission of Dr Kibuuka Godfrey Kisuule as chairperson of DSC was not considered until Mukono District leadership adhered to the law,” she added.
Mukono District chairperson Rev Dr Peter Bakaluba Mukasa said the district council approved and forwarded four names of nominees to the Public Service Commission for approval, leaving behind the former chairperson of DSC, Ms Kiondo, on grounds that different stakeholders in the district had accused her of bribery and corruption.
“I have been pressured by top government officials and those from the ruling NRM party, ordering me to accept Ms Kiondo on the District Service Commission, but I made it clear to them that whatever I was doing was for the good of the people of Mukono, who cannot afford bribes to get district jobs. So, we’re doing the right thing and we’re not ready to take orders from anyone,” Mr Bakaluba explained.
Mukono District speaker Betty Nakasi said the district council had recommended Ms Kiondo but Rev Bakaluba protested this in favour of Ms Katumba.
Ms Fatumah Ndisaba, the resident district commissioner, said the district is set to return Shs1.6b to the Consolidated Fund due to failure to recruit new staff in different departments.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
