Stop behaving like demi-gods, Nakyobe tells local government managers

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Lucy Nakyobe, the head of public service, has warned local government Human resource managers to stop behaving like demi-gods.

“Many things have been said about you. I came for this retreat to see how these demi-gods speak and look like after reports reaching my office indicate that you behave like demi-gods,” Nakyobe said.

Nakyobe made the remarks on April 28 while addressing Human resource managers who are currently undergoing a two-week retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI), Kyankwanzi.

A total of 237 human resource managers from the 176 local governments are currently participating in the orientation program, which started on April 20 and will run until April 30.

Nakyobe revealed that information reaching her desk accuses Human Resource managers of barking at people and speaking in a very high tone, and do not respect their clients, adding that many of the human resource managers are not patriotic and are also corrupt.

“Corruption is not only in the district service commission but also in the public service commission. I haven’t followed other commissions well, but at least I have heard a lot of whispers of what is going on,” Nakyobe said.

She noted that one of the challenges of corruption in the district service commission is the law, adding that the district service commissions are recommended by the district executive council.

“If somebody recommends you for a job, if you are lucky, that person is recommending you because you are competent, but he is also recommending you with an expectation that you will be loyal and serve his or her interest,” Nakyobe said.

Revealing that she has recommended reforming the appointment of the District Service Commission, Nakyobe said, adding that the corruption in the public service is not an allegation but a fact.

“Some of you might look good or nice, but you are participating in corruption,” Nakyobe said, adding that if the principals are corrupt, what will the support staff do?” Nakyobe said that the recruitment process in the public service has been compromised by the human resources department.

Ben Kumumanya, the permanent secretary of local government and Lucy Nakyobe, the head of public service inspecting the National :leadership Institute (NALI) during the human resource manager retreat.

“You are the human resource, you are the stewards of the workforce, and therefore, you influence the workforce of our government. You shape the quality, discipline, productivity and the integrity of the public service. So, if the recruitment is compromised, this means that the system is weakened,” Nakyobe said.

Ben Kumumanya, the permanent secretary of local government, cautioned the human resource managers on the sale of jobs and corruption in local government.

“Because we want the population to come out and inform us of the corruption mayhem, I issued an instruction that for every advert should have a disclaimer that says that no one should pay money to get a job, anybody asking for money to get a job is illegal, and that’s corruption,” Kumumanya said.

Kumumanya said the biggest challenge towards the corruption fight is information flow, adding that government machinery, such as the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Anti-Corruption Unit, among other government anti-corruption bodies.