Written By | Jovita Hasto
Councillors and head of departments attending the Council meeting in Ibanda. [File: Jovita Hasto]
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Ibanda
Leaders of Ibanda District Local Government have expressed concern over what they described as lazy workers, saying the situation has negatively affected district performance and service delivery.
Speaking during a council meeting on Wednesday, Ibanda District Chairperson Happy Herbert Mayanja said he would not tolerate workers who want to earn salaries without delivering services to residents.
He explained that in the past, some workers had abandoned their offices, noting that it was rare to find extension workers in the field or at their duty stations. He added that some employees would leave their offices as early as Thursday for the weekend, despite being on the district payroll.
“Before I came in, you would not find an extension worker, a veterinary officer, or an agriculturalist. But now, whenever we go to villages to supervise, people tell us they are receiving services. We introduced systems that have improved performance, even in primary schools and local government offices. You now find workers in their offices doing their jobs,” Mayanja said.
The district chairperson was responding to complaints from some workers who claimed they were being forced to work under pressure. He dismissed the claims, describing the complainants as lazy.
“I do not know how we are harassing them. As long as I am the district chairperson and you are earning a salary from the district, you must work. No one has reported sexual harassment. Those who complain about being forced to work are simply lazy,” he said.
Mr Godwin Oulanya Muhumuza, chairing the council meeting at Ibanda district hall on December 12
Mayanja added that the district leadership was ready to take firm action against non-performing staff.
“We are going to deal with them firmly and squarely. If a worker is reported to be lazy, we shall gather evidence, and he or she may be dismissed from the civil service,” he warned.
In 2024, Ibanda District was ranked second in performance after Isingiro District, with Mubende coming third, under the 2023/2024 Local Government Management of Service Delivery Performance Assessment by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Simon Mugabe, the councillor for Nyamarebe Sub-county, said allegations of laziness among workers should be thoroughly investigated to identify the root causes.
“When people keep complaining, it means there is an issue that needs to be addressed. Motivation matters because you do not motivate an educated person the same way you motivate a prisoner. Investigations may reveal whether these are rumours or whether management challenges exist,” Mugabe said.
Ibanda District Chief Administrative Officer Kweyamba Ruhemba said the district has faced challenges of staff leaving for early retirement or seeking employment elsewhere, which has affected service delivery.
“We have had workers, but many leave for greener pastures, especially NGOs or neighbouring districts. For example, some of our staff now work with Isingiro District Local Government and Ibanda Municipality. When a worker decides to leave, you cannot stop them; you can only give a recommendation,” Ruhemba said.
