Civil servants in cities to undergo fresh validation

Government is set to embark on fresh validation of its civil servants in new cities, a government official has said.

Mr Justinian Niwagaba, the commissioner for urban administration in the Ministry of Local Government, explained that the move is aimed at streamlining and operationalising the structures of the new cities.

“We have finalised and approved the new structures and we are now set to undertake the fresh validation of civil servants in all new cities,” Mr Niwagaba said.

He added: “After validation of existing staff in most appropriate positions through promotions, redeployment or through retention of the same level, then jobs will be advertised.”

Mr Niwagaba made the remarks during the election of the chairperson of the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU), which took place at Mbale Secondary School in Mbale City at the weekend.

The approved cities include Masaka, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Gulu, Arua, Jinja, and Mbale, Soroti, Lira, and Hoima.

Mr Niwagaba also revealed that the new human resource management structure has been approved.

“I am well aware that the new local governments, namely the cities, are not yet operationalised but at least they are functional,” he said.

He also congratulated the mayor for Koboko Municipality, Mr Wilson Sanya, who was elected chairperson of UAAU, after trouncing his rival, Mr Fabrice Rulinda, the mayor for Entebbe Municipality. The hotly contested race attracted about 2,000 delegates from Kampala Capital Council Authority, the new cities, city divisions, municipalities, and town councils.

Urban council polls

Mr Sanya garnered 458 votes against Mr Rulinda’s 138 votes.

Mr Sanya was announced winner by Mr David Anyazo, the election officer.

The election re-run came after the candidates failed to raise 50 percent of the votes in Kyadondo last year as per the association’s constitution.

The association was founded in 1959 and has 11 city authorities, 25 city divisions, 31 municipalities, 587 town councils and 91 municipal divisions.

In his maiden speech, Mr Sanya said his role will be advocacy in order to overcome the numerous challenges facing urban authorities.

“I am overwhelmed with joy, this win is the true manifestation that leadership comes from God because my opponent had a lot of money and I had nothing. I come from a rural municipality but that didn’t stop me from winning,” he said.

Mr Sanya also promised to move to all urban authorities to acclimatise with the challenges that they are facing.

“I am also aware districts are not remitting money to town councils and it’s a challenge we are going to handle. I will not need much induction because I know where to start from,” he said.

Mr Sadik Amin, the mayor for Busia Municipality, said Mr Sanya has the potential to lead the urban authorities.

“We voted for him because of his character and strong manifesto. He is a straightforward man and his CV in local government speaks for itself; he has immeasurable experience,” he said.

Mr Musa Kasajja, the speaker of the Industrial Division in Mbale City, said the biggest problem facing urban authorities is funding.

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