Lwengo District Service Commission on the spot over bribery reports 

Mr Ibrahim Kitatta, the Lwengo District chairperson has called for investigations into the operations of the District Service Commission (DSC) over alleged incompetence, misconduct and abuse of office.

During a press conference in Masaka City on Wednesday, Mr Kitatta said he has received numerous complaints from people who are asked to pay money while applying for jobs, but they end up not appearing on the shortlist. Some jobs are given to unqualified applicants, according to Mr Kitatta.

He cited the job of a roads engineer which was given to someone without the requisite qualifications, but this was reversed after his intervention.

“DSC members have exhibited the highest degree of abuse of office and misconduct through soliciting bribes from job applicants in exchange for jobs. This is unacceptable and we have to fight it,” he said.

He added they will soon hold a special council sitting to discuss the matter and forge away forward.

“Lwengo District was carved out of Masaka to create more jobs for the people of, but unfortunately, government jobs are being taken by the ‘highest bidders’, most of them not residents of Lwengo,” Mr Kitatta said

Mr Everisto Kafeero, a resident of Lwengo Town Council accused the former district service commission of extorting Shs18 million from him, but still, he was denied the job he had applied for.

“When I applied for the post of Parish Chief, I was asked to pay Shs18m and I sold off all my dry coffee beans in the store to raise the money, but I was not shortlisted. I have now completely given up on government jobs and currently focusing on agriculture,” Mr Kafeero said.

Mr Yusuf Babumba, the DSC chairperson refuted the allegations brought against the commission, saying the district chairperson is bent on tarnishing the image of the commission.

“I have been chairperson of the commission for two years, but I have never received any complaints from people pinning any of my committee members. Let them adduce evidence against any of us rather than speaking in the media,” he said.

On giving jobs to applicants from outside the district, Mr Babumba said residents of Lwengo do not apply for advertised jobs.

“How do you expect us to look for them [residents of Lwengo District]? Every Ugandan is free to apply for a job in any part of the country,” he added.

Since its inception in 2010, Lwengo District has suffered a series of scandals from misappropriation of funds to irregular recruitment of staff to shoddy road works which have partly hindered its development compared to other districts that started at the same time.

In July 2021, over 300 civil servants protested the unexplained monthly salary deductions which were reportedly going on a medical insurance scheme to help staff without their consent. The civil servants claimed that the scheme was spearheaded by Ms Florence Namaganda, the district human resource officer and former Chief Administrative Officer Mr Aggrey Mulamira. Daily Monitor could not independently verify whether the funds were refunded as the victims refused to speak to the media.

In January this year, two district staff including the district commercial development officer (DCDO) and his office attendant were arrested over alleged fraud and obtaining money by false pretence.

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