By Paul Watala

Mbale LC5 chairperson Bernard Mujasi has lashed out at district civil servants whom he accused of being lazy and drunkards.

“Getting drunk in the morning, gambling and laziness are among the biggest challenges compromising local economic development in the district and Elgon region at large,” Mujasi said.

He said most of the civil servants in the district, especially the head teachers, are drunkards and indisciplined.

Mujasi added that drinking in the morning has reduced productivity and made parents fail to look after their children leading to increased petty thefts and rampant poverty.

He made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting to formulate the district policy framework for guidance in the budgetary process for the financial years 2013/14 to 2018/19.

The meeting, attended by the district technical and political leaders, took place at St. Austin community hall in Mbale town.

Mujasi said laziness and a bad attitude towards work were affecting service delivery in the district as most of the civil servants and politicians prefer loitering and spending time bickering.

He warned head teachers who abscond from duty and resort to operating bodaboda motorcycles during working hours to stop or risk losing their jobs.

Mujasi said the region is suffering from low education standards because the stakeholders have no interest in improving the academic standards.

“When PTA meetings are held and resolutions passed, parents do not honour their pledges. Many children do not have scholastic materials and this affects their learning. Parents have also completely failed to provide lunch for their children,” he said.

Mujasi also said corruption among district civil servants is compromising economic development.