Residents in the Butaleja district have vowed to turn up in big numbers on Thursday to protest against what they say, is rampant corruption by the District Service Commission.
Butaleja has for a long time been on the spot over allegations of extortion by the Service Commission officers in exchange for job placements. This prompted some leaders led by former Bunyole West MP contestant Moses Lyada to petition the Ministry of Public Service in Kampala through a letter delivered in September 2022.
During a press conference by residents convened in Busolwe Town Council on Monday, the Commission was accused of sidelining poor job applicants from within the district in favour of those from outside with the potential to wet their beaks. In some cases, residents are duped into relinquishing their hard-earned money but are still bypassed and given the job to the highest bidders who are most likely to be from outside Butaleja because they can’t raise enough to satisfy commission bosses.
A case in point according to Mr Lyada is of an enrolled nursing officer, Scovia Namataka attached to Busolwe Hospital who has been missing following the shock of not appearing on the job shortlist even after paying a lot of her money.
Namataka, it’s said, left behind a suicide note to the effect that the insensitive Commission officials had repeatedly stolen from her promising her a job but never made it to the shortlist even once.
The commission accused, making others, of soliciting exorbitant bribes from job seekers, frustrating some applicants on a sectarian basis, extracting applications of some people out of the files for consideration before shortlisting, and employing unqualified people with questionable documents at the expense of those with genuine papers but without money to pay off.
Lyada said having tried to seek intervention from Punlic service with limited impact, they have decided to bring the fight to the ground to enlist the participation of the community in the fight to clean Butaleja.
When they tried to seek answers, it was established that the District Service Commission Chairperson, Mr Kalyedi Philip had travelled to German, raising suspicion he might have fled to evade the angry community.
Mr Muyagu Ronie, a former MP contestant for Bunyole East rallied the community to actively take part in the planned peaceful protest for it’s intended to save the children of the poor from the insatiable greed of some district officials.
Kemba Moses faulted the government for sidelining Banyole in key deployment into strategic positions. He wondered why you can’t see any Munyole in key positions like Cabinet, Judiciary, Army or police.
” Look at that cabinet, do you see any Kinyole name in it, do you see Permanent Secretaries who are Banyole? Do you see Commissioners who are Banyole? Do you see any Banyole heading these other institutions like URA? Aren’t people from the Bunyole part of Uganda?” he wondered.
Mr Wire James the Busolwe Hospital Baord Chairman decried the tendency of district officials of prioritising outsiders for deployment at the expense of local applicants who also have required qualifications. He attributes this to skyrocketing bribery tendencies where one doesn’t expect a job without giving out something to the commission officials.
” Bribery has been normalized. When you talk of getting a job without a bribe, they call you a fool. People are crying, parents are selling everything for their children. This is not right and shouldn’t be allowed to go on.
RDC Speaks out
When contacted for a comment on the matter, Ms Hajira Namagogwe, the Resident District Commissioner for Butaleja regretted the actions of the missing nurse who decided to disappear and write a suicide note, emphasising that failing to get a job can not be the end of one’s life.
“It’s quite unfortunate that such conduct is being associated with healthy medical personnel who is expected to be giving people hope and reassurance.
Life is a war with many battles. Sometimes you lose and sometimes you win others. And success is for those who will keep the spirit of struggle Therefore, not being shortlist led is no reason for one to end his or her life,” she told Watchdog.
On the issue of those planning to demonstrate, their RDC appealed to them to always prioritise non-alarmist approaches before resorting to demonstrations. She retaliated her office’s commitment to fighting corruption, emphasising that no one is above the law.
She invited the aggrieved group to take any incriminating evidence to her office that may be of any help in investigating the officials being accused of corruption.
“We condemn corruption and are ready to handle it if they come with reasons and evidence to my office because no one is above the Law. My appeal to the public is that self-assessment might be misleading because the Job Competition is too high the world over.” She advised, adding that “When you fail to be shortlisted, go to the Secretary DSC and find out why instead of moving around the streets such that you can prepare yourself better for the next interview.
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