By KT Reporter
Mukono District is facing a recruitment deadlock with no immediate solution in sight after the District Service Commission (DSC) was barred from functioning over bribery allegations, leaving more than 90 critical public service positions vacant. During a council session this week, Chief Administrative Officer Henry Ddamba revealed that although the Public Service Commission cleared the district to recruit 94 workers—including 62 teachers—the process cannot move forward because the DSC remains suspended.
“There are a lot of things I found happening here at the district hindering recruitment. We were cleared to recruit 94 workers, of which 62 are teachers, but we are stuck. We are trying to contact various stakeholders to find a solution in the shortest time possible,” Ddamba told the council.
The delay has raised concerns that over Shs 2.6 billion allocated for wages could be returned to the national treasury unused. Youth councilor Rauben Ssenyonjo warned that the prolonged standstill could severely impact service delivery. “We must have teachers. If you visit schools, you find one teacher handling five classes; teaching science, English, mathematics, yet we still blame government schools for poor performance,” he said.
Speaker Betty Hope Nakasi urged councilors to give the new CAO time to consult stakeholders and identify a workable solution. The recruitment impasse stems from a long-running conflict between the technical wing and District Chairperson Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, which left Mukono without a functioning DSC for three years.
Although the commission was reconstituted last August following a court order, it was banned again after eight months amid renewed corruption allegations, prompting investigations by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Ministry of Public Service. With no functioning DSC and no alternative mechanism in place, some local leaders have proposed hiring an external commission from neighboring districts.
However, the district council has yet to formally adopt the suggestion. As Mukono grapples with teacher shortages, service gaps, and looming financial losses, pressure is mounting on leaders to resolve the administrative stalemate and restore staffing in essential public services.
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