Eight officials attached to the Mukono Ministerial Zonal Office have been summoned by the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) to explain allegations of absenteeism and negligence of duty, following a surprise inspection that exposed glaring gaps in service delivery.
The officials, led by Principal Assistant Secretary Doreen Tumushabe, were directed to appear before the IGG regional office in Mukono.
The summons was issued by Savio Kakooza Ntensibe, Director of Ombudsman Affairs at the Inspectorate of Government, during an oversight visit led by Inspector General of Government, Lady Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala.
The IGG team had earlier held meetings with Mukono District and Municipal leaders before proceeding to the Ministerial Zonal Office for a routine inspection.
However, what they found raised concern. At around 3:00 PM, nearly 25 workstations were unattended, with most staff absent during official working hours.
The situation prompted immediate queries from the IG officials, who demanded explanations from the office leadership. Senior Land Registrar Robert Kankanka attempted to justify the absence, explaining that the Principal Assistant Secretary was attending an official meeting in Kampala.
He added that about ten staff members were contract workers whose terms had already been terminated, while others had reportedly gone for lunch.
However, this explanation did little to satisfy the inspection team. Kakooza questioned why staff would be away for lunch at 3:00 PM, yet the standard government lunch break runs from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM across all Ministerial Zonal Offices.
He described the conduct as unacceptable and indicative of a culture of impunity among public servants.
Kakooza further revealed that the IG had received numerous complaints from members of the public regarding poor service delivery at the Mukono office. Many clients reportedly travel long distances seeking land services, only to find offices closed or staff unavailable.
One such client, Patrick Omoding, was found waiting outside the office during the inspection. He told the IG team that he had spent two days trying to process a land title but was repeatedly told that the system was down, with no clear communication on when services would resume.
The IGG warned that strict disciplinary action would be taken against any officials found culpable, emphasizing the need for accountability and improved service delivery in public offices.
The summoned staff are expected to defend themselves against the allegations as investigations continue.
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