As city buildings keep collapsing, Public Service Commission moves to give crucial KCCA physical planning job to ‘unfit’ lady
The Public Service Commission (PSC) has been accused of secretly conducting interviews for a top job at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and in a ‘crafty’ manner.
The position in question is that of Manager for Development Planning and Control in the Directorate of Physical Planning which is tasked with planning, designing and managing City physical infrastructure.
According to a whistleblower report to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), the Public Service is in the final stages of substantively handing over this ‘Manager’ position to one Anita Kusiima who has been holding the same in acting capacity.
There are however, allegations that Kusiima is not suitable for this senior position insisting that her qualifications and competences only merit that of a Supervisor NOT Manager.
The Public Service now stands accused of “procedural impropriety in the conduct of promotional interviews for the position of Manager for Development Planning and Control at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).”
First, the whistleblower alleges that the position was never advertised as the norm to ensure transparency and equal opportunity for all qualified candidates.
Secondly and ironically, the short-listing of candidates was done without the participation of a technical representative from KCCA to guarantee that the selection criteria meet the specific needs and standards of the Authority.
Neither KCCA was reportedly involved in conducting interviews to objectively assess the qualifications, experience, and suitability of the candidates.
“The technical representative from KCCA was deliberately excluded from the shortlisting process. This is a direct violation of established guidelines that require technical input to ensure that only the most qualified candidates are considered,” it is alleged.
For promotional interviews, according to the whistleblower, criteria for shortlisting must primarily focus on the candidate’s years of experience in a position equivalent to that of a Supervisor and their performance appraisals.
“The only candidate who was shortlisted and interviewed did not possess the necessary performance appraisals that are fundamental for evaluating the candidate’s competency and suitability for the role. This omission is a gross deviation from the expected standard of recruitment,” the whistleblower report points out.
The whistleblower further tells the ombudsman that in line with the Planners Act, the candidate must be a member of the Society of Professional Physical Planners of Uganda which is not the case with Kusiima.
“The candidate in question is not a member of the Society of Professional Physical Planners of Uganda, a mandatory requirement under the Planners Act. This fact alone should have disqualified the candidate from being considered for the position.”
For the petitioner, such glaring procedural violations suggest a deliberate attempt to subvert the recruitment process, raising serious concerns about potential corruption, nepotism, and favoritism.
“This misconduct not only undermines the credibility of KCCA’s recruitment processes but also perpetuates a culture of incompetence by filling critical positions with individuals who are selected through shadowy and questionable practices,” the petition dated August 29, 2024 further reads.
The IGG is currently carrying out investigations into the Kiteezi trash tragedy which killed over 30 people, injured dozens, displaced hundreds and destroyed property to ascertain whether this could have been averted had someone probably at KCCA not slept on the job.
Now this recruitment saga for a key-senior-position in the crucial directorate of Physical Planning comes on the heels of several accusations of negligence and incompetency leveled against KCCA that have seen several buildings under construction collapsing in Kampala.
“I implore your office to urgently investigate these irregularities to uphold the integrity and transparency of the recruitment process within KCCA. The abuse of due process must be addressed to prevent future occurrences of such malpractices and to ensure that KCCA positions are filled by competent, qualified, and duly vetted individuals.
“Your prompt intervention in this matter is crucial to safeguard the principles of fairness and justice in public service recruitment. Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter,” concludes the whistleblower who claims to be a concerned professional physical planner.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
- Why was the required participation of a KCCA technical representative excluded from the recruitment process?
- On what grounds was a candidate shortlisted and interviewed in the absence of necessary performance appraisals?
- How was a candidate who is not a member of the Society of Professional Physical Planners of Uganda considered for this position, in direct violation of the Planners Act?
Public Service and KCCA could not be reached for a comment by press time.
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