By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE
Mbale district local government has failed to fill the vacant position of senior engineers despite a number of adverts it has run in the media.
While speaking on Monday during assessment review meeting of government programs meeting organized by State House at Mbale district Lukhobo hall, Juliet cheptoek, the Mbale district Deputy Chief Administrative Officer revealed that the district has failed to recruit a district engineer up to now because whenever they advertise, they don’t get any applicant.
She says that in the last three financial years for example 2019/20, 2018/19 and 2017/18, they advertised for that position in newspapers and other media forums as mandated by law but they never got even a single applicant.
Cheptoek says that they have decided to put the acting in the position for over twenty years which contravenes the law.
Anthony Wabomba, the Mbale district Human Resource Officer says that the reason why it’s becoming hard to get district engineer is because of the high qualifications government needs.
He says that one who applies to get that job must have a degree in engineering and also must have registered with the engineers registration board.
“Yet in Bugisu we have none and in Uganda you may get less than ten people and those few have been absorbed by big companies like UNRA with high pay,” Wabomba said.
James Twekheya, commissioner from the office of the President, has urged the district to ask the current acting district engineer to go for upgrading and acquire enough qualifications to take over that job.
He says that lack of substantive district engineer affects service delivery in the district which should not be allowed.
