By Brian Mugenyi
KAMPALA, UGANDA — The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Benjamin Kumumanya, has issued a stern directive to political and technical leaders across Uganda’s local government system: public service recruitment must return to its constitutional foundation of merit, transparency, accountability, and integrity.
In comprehensive guidance aimed at tackling performance and recruitment bottlenecks under decentralisation, Mr. Kumumanya warned that the integrity of local governance rests entirely on appointing competent personnel through lawful and transparent procedures.
The directive—issued to all District Chairpersons, City Mayors, Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), and Town Clerks—emphasises that Service Commissions are constitutional institutions designed to protect professionalism, not political instruments for influence.
The Constitutional Mandate
Under Article 198(1) of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, Local Government Service Commissions are established to oversee appointments within local governments.
Furthermore, the Local Governments Act (Cap 138) provides the legal operational framework:
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Section 59: Authorises the establishment and oversight of commissions.
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Section 60(1): Outlines core mandates, including appointing, confirming, disciplining, and removing officers from office where necessary.
Mr. Kumumanya’s core message is straightforward: Public service recruitment must be guided by competence, not connections.
Zero Tolerance for Corruption and Favours
While Local Government Service Commissions are legally mandated to uphold meritocracy, fairness, and impartiality, the Permanent Secretary expressed deep concern over persistent reports of recruitment corruption.
“The public service belongs to all Ugandans and must not become a marketplace where individuals buy employment through improper means,” the directive highlights.
Among the abuses highlighted were allegations of:
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Exorbitant bribe demands
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Deep-rooted nepotism
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Requests for sexual favours in exchange for public jobs
Mr. Kumumanya condemned these practices as unacceptable and called for strict enforcement of existing administrative and criminal laws against perpetrators.
Unused Wages and Political Interference Under Fire
Beyond recruitment malpractice, the Ministry raised serious concerns over local governments returning unspent wage allocations to the Consolidated Fund at the end of financial years—despite having sanctioned wage budgets. The Permanent Secretary demanded that responsible officers explain these failures and face accountability for administrative omissions.
Political leaders were equally cautioned against meddling in recruitment decisions.
Pressuring District or City Service Commissions to hire individuals outside established legal frameworks is illegal. Political leaders must respect the constitutional independence of these commissions and allow recruitment to be guided strictly by law and public interest.
Key Action Points for Local Leaders
To restore sanity in local government human resource management, Mr. Kumumanya outlined critical responsibilities for local political leadership:
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Rigorous Vetting: Conduct strict due diligence when appointing members to District and City Service Commissions.
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Active Oversight: Monitor commissions for ethical compliance and investigate all public allegations of corruption promptly.
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Decisive Action: Initiate formal removal procedures under Section 59(9) of the Local Governments Act for commission members implicated in misconduct or bribery.
Local governments experiencing technical or administrative hurdles in human resource management were encouraged to seek direct guidance from the Ministry.
The Bottom Line
As Uganda advances its decentralisation agenda, service delivery—from functional health centres to timely infrastructure projects—hinges entirely on the quality and integrity of public servants.
The Ministry’s stance is firm: Decentralisation can only succeed when recruitment is shielded from political interference, graft, and bias.
A professional, effective local government begins at the recruitment desk.
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