Samuel Busulwa, a concerned resident of Mukono District has sued the Public Service Commission-PSC for rejecting the names of the two people who were appointed members of the District Service Commission-DSC.
Busulwa through his lawyer, Kenneth Nsubuga petitioned the High Court in Mukono seeking an order quashing the Public Service Commission’s decision rejecting Godfrey Kibuuka Kisuule and Sarah Katumba as chairperson and member respectively.
In May, the district council approved four members and their names were submitted to the public service commission for approval. They are Arthur Blick Mugerwa, Badru Ssemakula, Lydia Nakachwa and Dr. Godfrey Kibuuka Kisuule.
However, Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, the LCV Chairperson Mukono asked the council to consider Kisuule as the new chairperson.
On January 19, the Public Service Commission Chairperson, Winnie Agnes Kabogoza Musoke wrote to Bakaluba instructing him and the council to approve Stella Margret Kiondo, the former Chairperson of the District service commission, as a member of the commission and drop Katumba.
But Bakaluba rejected the demands on grounds that during her tenure, Kiondo was allegedly involved in corruption and bribery scandals.
Busuulwa wants the court to direct the public service commission to approve the two names submitted in order to constitute the district commission. He also wants the court to declare that the four members of the district commission commence work since they make a quorum.
He wonders how Kiondo’s name made its way to the public service commission, yet under the Local Government Act, it is only the district executive to nominate, present to the council for approval and then the council forwards a resolution to PSC.
Busuulwa wants the court to declare Kiondo unfit and improper to be a member of the district commission.
“The decision of the respondent to hold Mukono district local government hostage and at ransom not to approve its service commission until Stella Kiondo is recommended by the district executive or council is irrational and an abuse of power.” The petition reads in part.
At the beginning of this month, the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi ordered the LCV Chairperson to implement the guidance of the public service commission to constitute the district service commission before February 28.
Mukono High Court is yet to set a date to hear the suit. For close to two years, Mukono has not had a service commission which is affecting several departments which are struggling with inadequate staff.
In the financial year 2021/2022, 1.2 billion Shillings was returned to the consolidated fund and this financial year, 1.6 Billion is likely to be returned once the service commission is not constituted to recruit workers.
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