By Kassim Sematimba
The Ministry of Local Government has today, Friday held a special engagement with Deputy Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Deputy Town Clerks, and other senior officials at Hotel Africana in Kampala, in a meeting aimed at tackling corruption within local governments and preparing public servants for life after office.
Mr. Ben Kumumanya, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, called on the officers to serve with integrity and humility, saying that good leadership is not about showing off or creating enemies, but about being approachable and committed to duty.
Kumumanya advised officials to focus on what they already have, rather than constantly chasing after higher positions or personal gain.
He raised concern over the increasing reports of bribery in recruitment and procurement processes at the local government level, saying that while many government jobs and contracts are advertised as free and open, some officials ask applicants for money once they apply.
He appealed to the public to speak up and report such behaviour, noting that corruption continues to affect service delivery in districts.
The meeting also addressed the issue of absenteeism in schools and health facilities. Despite improved pay for teachers and health workers, some continue to miss work without accountability.
The Ministry tasked Deputy CAOs and town clerks to work more closely with county chiefs and inspectors to ensure that staff report to duty and services are delivered as expected.
Mr. Dunstan Balaba, the Permanent Secretary for the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President who was one of the guest speakers, having served earlier as the head of CAOs in the ministry of local government, he gave a strong message about the reality of retirement and the need for public servants to prepare early.
Balaba said many officers become so powerful and respected while in office, but quickly lose that attention once they retire. He shared a story of a former director who, after retirement, went two weeks without receiving a single call, only to realise people were no longer interested in him after he left his position.
Balaba urged the officers to build meaningful lives beyond work, pointing out that many people forget the families they started with and get carried away by their status. But after retirement, it is the family at home that remains.
He noted that some officers neglect their wives and children, only to return home after retirement and find broken relationships and emotional distance. Balaba encouraged the officers to love and support their families while still in service, warning that children are often shaped by the parent who remains with them.
He went on to explain what he referred to as the “eight Fs” that every public servant should think about before retirement. These include funds (saving and investing while still earning), family (building strong relationships at home), friends (keeping genuine people in your life), food (being able to grow or afford your own), fitness (keeping healthy), faith (belonging to a church or religious group), fun (finding joy in life), and future (having a clear plan for what to do after work).
Balaba also tackled the issue of corruption head-on, noting that many Deputy CAOs and town clerks have knowledge of ghost workers on district payrolls and that some even work hand in hand with human resource officers to facilitate such fraud. He reminded the officers that they are responsible for supervising administrative systems, procurement, and personnel management, and allowing or ignoring wrongdoing, he said, makes them part of the problem.
The meeting featured a call to all local government leaders to serve with integrity, prepare wisely for retirement, and stay connected to the communities they serve.
