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Corruption claims hinder recruitments in districts
Jobs. Applicants seat for interviews for different jobs in the Public Service in Kampala in 2015. Political interference, soliciting of money for jobs and nepotism have reportedly riddled the recruitment exercise in most district service commissions in Teso. PHOTO/file
What you need to know:
- A World Bank report indicated that Uganda will have to create more than one million jobs for the young population joining the labour market as the country’s workforce is expected to triple between 2030 and 2040.
Political interference, soliciting of money for jobs and nepotism have riddled the recruitment exercise in most district service commissions in Teso, Daily Monitor has established.
In Kapelebyong District in northern Teso, eight unsuccessful applicants who received appointment letters, have left Kapelebyong District local government councillors surprised, in a recruitment exercise which was endorsed by two different district service commissions (DSC) of Amuria and Napak respectively.
Amuria carried out the oral interviews, while Napak conducted aptitude tests.
Mr Simon Peter Enyangu, the LC5 councillor for Kapelebyong District, said a technical officer in the office of the Chief Administration Officer (CAO) in Kapelebyong District, allegedly solicited more than Shs25m during the recent recruitment and handed over appointment letters to unsuccessful applicants.
“As council, we are investigating the officer, and when our investigations are done, we shall demand that the officer be interdicted, or even dismissed,” Mr Enyangu said.
He said the officer fraudulently managed to front eight applicants who had not appeared for an oral interviews before Amuria DSC for the aptitude test before Napak DSC, and later handed his handpicked applicants appointments.
Mr David Ongom, an applicant who was affected by the fraud, said and he would take the district local government to court, challenging the recruitment.
“I was shortlisted for an aptitude test before Napak DSC, after passing the oral test before Amuria DSC, but alas, the corrupt men of this world manipulated the second phase,” he added.
Kapelebyong District interim chairperson, Mr Simon Peter Erwangu, said they have halted any further recruitment until the issues at hand are resolved.
“Some smart technical officer, who we are investigating, and there is headway to that effect, messed up our recruitment process,” he stated.
Ms Ali Munira, the spokesperson for Inspectorate of Government, said they are investigating three related cases of an officer attached to the office of the CAO.
In Bukedea District, sources intimated to Daily Monitor that during the recruitment exercise held in February, some officials from the now retired DSC, and some district leaders allegedly solicited money from the applicants.
According to sources at the district, teachers had to pay a bribe of between Shs500,000 and Shs1.5 million while nurses allegedly paid between Shs1.5 million and Shs3 million.
For other top district jobs like the district commercial officer and medical officers, one had to part with between Shs3 million to Shs8 million.
Ms Roseline Adongo, the Bukedea CAO, sdenied the allegations.
“I would wish such people to point at specific officers they allege to have handed the money,” she said.
MORE JOBS
A World Bank report indicated that Uganda will have to create more than one million jobs for the young population joining the labour market as the country’s workforce is expected to triple between 2030 and 2040. The World Bank report indicates that Uganda’s population growth rate as of 2016 stands at 3.3 per cent, the second fastest growing and youthful population in the world.
