Job fights at Ministry of works as cuts looms

Following the impending restructuring and rationalization of government departments and agencies resumes, there is tension as officials are seeking to hang onto the jobs.

An applicant for the vacant position of commissioner Maritime Administration wrote to the permanent secretary in protest after a more senior official in the ministry whose role is being phased out tried to wiggle into the junior role.

“ I applied for the subject position in the Ministry of works and Transport in the month of January 2023

.However no shortlisting has been done to this day which I found strange, especially with the newly appointed Public Service Commission.” the petitioner who signed off as Fred B. Musis wrote in a letter seen by this media.

“ It has now come to my notice that an HR manager in the Ministry of works and Transport has influenced the delaying of this recruitment in favor of another director whose position is being phased out ,” he alleged.

However the petitioner also alleged that plans are now under way to cancel the recruitment and re advertise to give an opportunity to the unnamed official whose role will soon become redundant to apply.

Meanwhile the permanent secretary at MoWT Mr Waiswa Bageya confirmed that he had received the petition and also confirmed that there were many people interested in the few openings available though denied any wrong doing.

…”Being one job you can’t ration it out and sometimes it’s fair for us to declare the post to the public service commission and they handle it,” he said while referring matter to the Public service commission.

Meanwhile the cabinet has phased out the position of director in most government ministries. The work will now be handled by commissioners who are one rank lower to the hierarchy.

In addition the position of commissioner Maritime Administration fell vacant in January following the retirement of Mr Rukara George.

According to our investigations more fights are still expected ahead of and after July.