Kiryandongo Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Mr. Anselm Kyaligonza has defied a directive requiring him to appoint Dr. Joshua Malo to serve as the Ag District Medical Officer (DMO) for his area-and has even had guts to give his reasons in writing.
In his 13th October letter to Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara, Mr. Kyaligonza makes it clear that the man he was directed to appoint is ineligible because he was previously investigated, criminally prosecuted and convicted in the Anti-Corruption Court for criminal conduct.
That on 15th October 2019, Dr. Malo was dismissed from pubic service by the Kiryandongo District Service Commission upon the instigation of Dr. Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health.
That under Minute no. 251/2019, Dr. Malo was terminated and banned from holding any public service position for a period of 10 years. The 10 years, Mr. Kyaligonza informs Balaam, run from 7th June 2018 all the way to 6th June 2028.
The CAO makes it clear to Balaam that his hands are legally tied and there is no way he can appoint Dr. Malo without running into problems with the law. He attaches the October 2019 dismissal letter, the court judgment from ACD and the PS Diana Atwine’s letter recommending the impugned gentleman’s dismissal.
“In light of the above, I seek more guidance from you as to the directive you gave me,” Mr. Kyaligonza says in his one-page letter copied to the PS health ministry, ministry of local government, the secretary PSC, the PS public service ministry, the Kiryandongo RDC and area LC5 Chairman.
In the same letter, Mr. Kyaligonza explains that Dr. Malo was once a medical officer at Kiryandongo General Hospital but burnt his own fingers when he went for further studies without first obtaining the official study leave and yet he didn’t complete the course.
“He was found not at school and not at work by the State House Health Monitoring Unity [which Dr. Atwine headed before becoming PS] whereas he was on the payroll. He was aligned before the Anti-Corruption Court [ACD] for causing loss and corruption, and [was accordingly] sentenced.”
This latest development regarding the Kiryandongo DMO job reflects the fact that there is need for Minister Balaam Barugahara to become more cautious, methodical and consultative as he goes about his war against corruption in the local governments. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com.
