Govt moves to centralise public service commission
In an effort to combat widespread corruption and nepotism in district-level recruitment, the government has announced a proposal to centralize the Public Service Commission (PSC), stripping local governments of their recruitment powers.
The move was revealed by Assistant Commissioner, Silver Tindizirarira during a stakeholders' engagement with leaders from Bukedi subregion, held in Tororo and organized by the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity.
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According to Tindizirarira, district service commissions have become breeding grounds for nepotism, with local leaders frequently abusing their recruitment powers.
"Besides too much corruption during recruitment, district chairpersons give jobs to their relatives, friends, and supporters, and worse still, these jobs are often given without the required qualifications," he stated.
Tindizirarira emphasized that these practices have undermined service delivery in districts like Tororo, where job seekers are forced to pay large sums of money to secure employment.
John Okea, the Tororo District Chairperson, echoed these concerns, admitting that his office has received numerous complaints about corruption within the district service commission.
"The board picks lots of money from job seekers for them to succeed," Okea revealed.
The proposal to centralize the PSC has drawn mixed reactions from district leaders. Some argue that centralization will not address the root causes of corruption, citing that the problem is even more pervasive at the national level.
Stephen Wasike, the Busia District Chairperson, criticized the move, pointing out that corruption within centralized recruitment processes is equally rampant.
"Recently, a secondary school teacher in my district applied for a job at the center but was forced to pay 3 million shillings just to be shortlisted. The center is even worse. We should look for a proper approach," Wasike argued.
On the other hand, some leaders support the government’s decision. Evelyn Nalongo Kwesiga, the Resident District Commissioner of Butaleja, welcomed the proposal, describing it as overdue.
"This should have come yesterday. The district service commission is very useless. District chairpersons have become bosses who determine who should be given Job, it’s very bad," Nalongo asserted.
James Okurut, the Butebo District Chairperson, offered a different perspective, suggesting that instead of centralizing the PSC, the government should focus on addressing the salary gap and empowering existing anti-corruption bodies.
According to Okurut, targeting structural issues such as poor remuneration and weak oversight mechanisms would be more effective in the fight against corruption.
As the debate over centralization continues, it remains to be seen how the government will proceed with the proposed reforms and whether they will succeed in curbing the corruption that has plagued district recruitment processes for years.
