Kabale officials locked out of offices for late coming

Albert Matsiko Mutungwire, the Kabale district Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) turned away over 50 district headquarter staff for reporting late to office.

The officers who were stopped from accessing district premises had arrived between 8:10am and 9:30am.

Mutungwire said that time management is in accordance with government's standing orders and the Code of Conduct and ethics of Uganda Public Service.

According to standing orders, civil servants are required to report to office every day at exactly 8am and leave for lunch at 12:45pm. In the afternoon they are required to be in office at 2:00pm up to 5:00pm.

Mutungwire also said that government reserves the right to take disciplinary action against an officer including deduction from an officer's pay for any period during which the officer is absent and late from work without permission.

The operation dubbed "Hakuna Mukyezo" that Mutungwire was implementing was launched in Kyankwazi by Cabinet to ensure service delivery. He also noted that any officer who will be caught late three times shall be interdicted and face the consequences.

"Ugandans deserve service delivery from their civil servants. We cannot sit down and watch officers delay our development. We shall continue this in other public places in health centres and sub counties," said Mutungwire.

Some of the staff members that were turned away include the human resource officer, Baker Teriyetu, distict production officer, Beda Mwebesa, district planner, Alex Twebaze, James Tulyahikayo the vector control officer, district physical planner Rogers Ngabirano, district sports officer Moses Bwengye as well as the whole of works and health departments.

Kabale CAO shares a light moment with district sports officer Moses Bwengye before chasing him away. Photo by Job Namanya

This is the second time Mutungwire is conducting such an operation since a similar one in July last year.

What They Say

"The operation was healthy. As civil servants we are called to serve. I encourage my colleagues to desist from acts of late coming," Kenneth Sabiiti Baabo the District Education Officer said.

"We must promote efficiency in our offices of work. This should act as an eye opener to all who still want to play around with these offices," said Bridget Asinga the district vice chairperson.