PS Kumumanya Warns Public Against Paying for Local Government Jobs

What the report says

Permanent Secretary in Uganda’s Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, has warned job seekers not to pay money to people claiming they can secure them jobs in local governments. In an interview at the ministry in Kampala, he said such demands are illegal and run counter to the country’s public service recruitment rules, which require vacancies to be filled through formal procedures.

Watchdog Uganda reported that Kumumanya said recruitment for district, city, municipal and other local government posts is supposed to follow established legal steps meant to ensure fairness, transparency and merit. He urged applicants to trust only officially advertised vacancies and to avoid brokers or middlemen who promise influence over hiring in exchange for cash. He also encouraged the public to report anyone demanding payment for employment opportunities.

The warning comes amid concern that fraudsters are exploiting high unemployment and targeting desperate young people with false promises of government jobs. Kumumanya said appointments should be based on qualifications, competence and performance in the recruitment process, not personal connections or financial inducements.

He added that lawful recruitment matters because local governments are responsible for essential services such as health, education, roads, water and community development. More broadly, the ministry says protecting recruitment integrity supports accountability and effective decentralisation. The report also noted his call for elected local leaders to respect official hiring procedures rather than attempting to influence appointments outside the law.