No more acting position longer than six months, minister tells govt workers

Public Service state minister Mary Mugasa has said government will no longer accept public officers in acting capacity for more than six months.

“Some of the officers have been acting for years, and up to now, they are acting; why are they still acting?" Are the district heads reserving those positions for their family members and friends?” she said.

Speaking at the local government budget consultation meeting for Buganda south districts, in Mukono District on Thursday, Mugasa said if there are competence  concerns, vacant positions should be advertise and replacements found within six months.

She further noted that there “are very many graduates who are fit to take up public positions rather than keeping acting officers.”

Still on Thursday, the minister denounced corruption by mostly District Service Commissions.

“You, local leaders at districts have embarrassed the government among the educated youths and the poor due to your corrupt tendencies,” Mugasa observed.

However, Nakasongola local government chairperson Sam Kigula claimed corruption was rampant at the public service ministry, alleging that his daughter, who got a first-class law degree, was asked to pay millions of shillings to attain a job in public service.

Meanwhile, Kawempe Mayor Charles Serunjogi urged government to trim the powers of the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) by allowing division authorities to run their businesses independently. This according to him, would imply using the tax collected rather than leaving everything to KCCA.

In his remarks read by Mugasa, finance minister Matia Kasaija implored district leaders to prioritize maintenance of the most productive road networks to stimulate economic activity.

Kasaija also asked local governments to ensure that they complete the USMID and UGIFT projects with the supplementary budget of Shs129 billion per the 2024-25 financial year budget “because there will be no further extension.”