Otafiire warns on recruitment
Apr 08, 2008
DISTRICT service commissions should recruit staff on merit and not on the basis of their political beliefs, the local government minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, has said.
By Egessa Hajusu
DISTRICT service commissions should recruit staff on merit and not on the basis of their political beliefs, the local government minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, has said.
This followed an appeal by the Dabani sub-county NRM party chairman, Zachariah Wanyama and the Busia resident district commissioner, Robinah Nabbanja that the ruling party should influence the service commissions to recruit only candidates that agree with the party.
“Our party should find ways of rewarding supporters by ensuring that when they apply for jobs, they are given first priority,†Nabbanja said over the weekend during a meeting with the minister at Mabros Hotel in Busia.
She added that the policy would reduce opposition to the party by civil servants during national elections.
Citing the by-elections in Samia-Bugwe North last year, the RDC claimed that out of the five sub-county chiefs in the constituency, only one supported the Movement.
According to the Constitution, civil servants are not allowed to openly solicit votes for political parties or candidates but they can vote during elections in secret ballot.
“If we had appointed people that support the party, we would not have faced stiff opposition from the chiefs who were decampaigning us yet they are paid by the Government,†Nabbanja explained.
However, Otafiire, who was mobilising NRM leaders and the youth from Busia, Tororo and Butaleja districts for the upcoming LCI election, did not support the idea.
He noted that employing only NRM-leaning people would instead serve to intensify opposition against the party.
“It is better to have one civil servant opposed to the Movement but who is the bread winner to some family members that support the party,†he said.
“When such a person is denied a job, it could anger their family members that previously supported the NRM to join the opposition.â€
When one civil servant is opposed to us, Otafiire explained, it does not mean that their whole family, including the parents, agree with them.
“This can cause debate and perhaps one of the members convinces the one against us to change their thinking,†he added.
DISTRICT service commissions should recruit staff on merit and not on the basis of their political beliefs, the local government minister, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, has said.
This followed an appeal by the Dabani sub-county NRM party chairman, Zachariah Wanyama and the Busia resident district commissioner, Robinah Nabbanja that the ruling party should influence the service commissions to recruit only candidates that agree with the party.
“Our party should find ways of rewarding supporters by ensuring that when they apply for jobs, they are given first priority,†Nabbanja said over the weekend during a meeting with the minister at Mabros Hotel in Busia.
She added that the policy would reduce opposition to the party by civil servants during national elections.
Citing the by-elections in Samia-Bugwe North last year, the RDC claimed that out of the five sub-county chiefs in the constituency, only one supported the Movement.
According to the Constitution, civil servants are not allowed to openly solicit votes for political parties or candidates but they can vote during elections in secret ballot.
“If we had appointed people that support the party, we would not have faced stiff opposition from the chiefs who were decampaigning us yet they are paid by the Government,†Nabbanja explained.
However, Otafiire, who was mobilising NRM leaders and the youth from Busia, Tororo and Butaleja districts for the upcoming LCI election, did not support the idea.
He noted that employing only NRM-leaning people would instead serve to intensify opposition against the party.
“It is better to have one civil servant opposed to the Movement but who is the bread winner to some family members that support the party,†he said.
“When such a person is denied a job, it could anger their family members that previously supported the NRM to join the opposition.â€
When one civil servant is opposed to us, Otafiire explained, it does not mean that their whole family, including the parents, agree with them.
“This can cause debate and perhaps one of the members convinces the one against us to change their thinking,†he added.