Minister Musasizi has Condemned the issue of Increased Bribery in Job Recruitment within Local Government.
The State Minister of Finance of Planning and Economic Development in charge of general duties Hon. Henry Musasizi, has condemned the rising issue of bribery in job recruitment within local government.
His remarks were made at the Beginning of 2 a day workshop for the Annex 2 Programme, part of the Regional Budget Consultative Workshops for the financial year 2025-2026, held at Agaba Center hotel in Kabale Municipality.
Addressing stakeholders from the Kigezi region, Minister Musasizi expressed his concerns over discriminatory employment practices that prioritize “homegrown” candidates over more qualified applicants from other regions. He challenged the logic of such biases, questioning whether a candidate from Arua District would stand a chance of being hired in Rubanda, or if someone from Madi-Okolo District could secure a similar position in Kigezi.
Musasizi condemned the practice of reserving jobs exclusively for locals, emphasizing its detrimental effects on the quality of public services.
He highlighted the irony of a system that demands bribes and adheres to regional biases, noting that such constraints have led to a loss of skilled professionals. The Minister further questioned how Uganda could hope to achieve efficient service delivery while these issues persist.
He expressed disbelief at the prevalence of bribery, particularly in the education sector, where primary school teachers earning just 500,000 UGX per month are still expected to pay bribes to secure their positions.
Minister asked how much can you ask for a bribe from a primary teacher, who will earn 500,000 per month when they are getting little money.
The Minister’s comments come amid growing pressure on the government to tackle the inefficiencies and corruption that continue to undermine the public Sector.