‘District commissions are corrupt’

May 27, 2009

MPS have criticised district service commissions over corruption. The MPs on the public service and local government committee blamed the district service commissions for seeking bribes from job-seekers, adding that this had led to the recruitment of inco

By Saul Waigolo

MPS have criticised district service commissions over corruption. The MPs on the public service and local government committee blamed the district service commissions for seeking bribes from job-seekers, adding that this had led to the recruitment of incompetent civil servants.

They made the remarks while meeting local leaders and public servants at the Namutumba district headquarters recently. Emma Bonna (NRM), the committee vice-chairperson, said the media had reported complaints by applicants who cited corruption in the recruitment exercise.

Mary Tunde (NRM) said some districts had failed to recruit engineers and doctors because they wanted to employ people from the district.

She added that several districts had workers in acting capacities because they did not want to recruit people from outside the district.

MPs John Arumadri (FDC) and David Ringe Chan (UPC) blamed corruption on the introduction of the decentralisation system of governance, saying it had been abused by splitting most counties into districts.

They said new districts were not formed purposely to extend services to the people, but to gain political support from the residents. The MPs said districts have no revenue to fund the service commissions, which had led to corruption.

Amadri proposed that districts that do not raise 60% of their revenue be scrapped. But Emily Otekat (Independent) said the scrapping of districts would lead to unemployment.

The Namutumba vice-chairperson, Musirimu Butotooba, explained that qualified people do not want to work upcountry. He said they had failed to attract engineers and doctors to the district despite advertising thrice in the media.

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