IGG to probe illegal staff recruitment at KCCA

Kampala. The Inspectorate of Government is considering a probe into the alleged illegal recruitment of staff at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

This follows a petition to the watchdog body by some dissatisfied KCCA staff protesting issuance of short-term contracts and assignments of duties to temporary staff to work in higher positions across the board, yet the Public Service Commission halted temporary recruitment.

The Inspectorate’s spokesperson, Ms Munira Ali, yesterday confirmed receipt of the petition and said the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Justice Irene Mulyangoja, will first study the matter.
“We received that letter but I cannot comment about the next course of action before the IGG looks at it first.”

Issue
In a July 16 letter, a copy which Daily Monitor has seen, the petitioners argue that for an officer to be assigned duties at a higher position, they must be substantive and clearance must be sought from the responsible Permanent Secretary first.

“…we appeal and seek your intervention in the matter as such impunity and disregard for public service governance procedures not only complicates KCCA’s recruitment process further but also has led and continues to lead to financial losses and continued risk to litigation, which could be avoided in the first place,” the letter reads in part.
Daily Monitor has seen a list of at least 92 staff who were allegedly given six-month contracts to work in higher positions.

Some of the aggrieved staff, who spoke to this newspaper yesterday, accused the director of human resource and administration, Mr Richard Lule, of sidestepping permanent staff by appointing temporary staff to work in higher positions in acting capacity.

“Some of these temporary staff are fresh from university with no experience but they are made to be in higher positions yet some of us who have been in the institution for eight years are just bypassed. This is very unfair!” one of the staff charged.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Mr Lule acknowledged he had issued a six-month temporary contract to some staff but said: “What you need to know is that the institution has to move forward and we are doing this until regularisation of temporary staff is made by the Public Service Commission.”

Asked when regularisation of temporary staff is likely to be completed, Mr Lule said: “They told us to wait for three months and we are still waiting for their feedback.”
He also dismissed allegations of favouring certain staff within the institution.
The chairperson of the Public Service Commission, Justice Ralph Ochan, could not be reached for a comment yesterday.

Background
Vacancies. On June 12, the Solicitor General directed the Secretary of Public Service Commission, Dr Geoffrey Mbabazi, to advertise all job vacancies in KCCA and allow eligible candidates compete for them.
The Solicitor General’s directive was triggered by Dr Mbabazi’s request for opinion on the current controversy surrounding KCCA’s new recruitment which has left the staff divided.

“…advertise the vacant positions so that those who were part of the transition period can apply and be considered to fill the positions in accordance with the Constitution, the KCCA Act and the PSC laws, regulations and the standing orders,” the Solicitor General wrote.
On June 10, some KCCA dissatisfied staff petitioned Justice Ralph Ochan, challenging an internal advert which was placed by Mr Lule.
The advert had 200 vacancies. However, they protested the advert arguing that Mr Lule had flouted the Public Service Standing Orders by opening the advert to temporary staff without first giving priority to permanent staff.

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