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By Joshua Nahamya
Rwampara
There was tension in Rwampara District Council as councilors clashed with district leaders over the approval of a new member to the District Service Commission (DSC).
During a heated council sitting, Councilor Jackson Rugundana raised concern that the District Service Commission was incomplete following the resignation of one of its members who joined elective politics.
“According to Rwampara District Local Government minute 8 subsection 1 of August 2025, council resolved to nominate members of the District Service Commission for consideration. The action is still pending approval by this council,” Rugundana said.
It was from this background that the district sought to approve Mr. John Byarugaba, in order to constitute a fully-fledged commission and facilitate staff recruitment for improved service delivery.
Rwampara district councillors attending their district council meeting
However, Ustus Aryampereza, the Bugamba Subcounty Councilor, opposed the nomination, arguing that the position requires a competent and nonpartisan individual — not Byarugaba, who is a retired army officer and an NRM committee member.
“We are not here to approve names based on regions or affiliations. We must look at qualifications, competence, and integrity,” Aryampereza said. “From the documents I have, the nominee served in the UPDF at the rank of Lieutenant and sits on the district veterans’ league. We need to verify whether he is retired and politically neutral before approval.”
Ustus Aryampereza, Councillor Bugamba Sub County warning his colleagues over the approval of incomptent district service commission
Aryampereza proposed that the approval process be suspended until verification is completed to avoid potential legal and administrative errors.
“We don’t want to approve someone who will bring problems later. We should get proper information before making a decision,” he added, citing a previous case where the district approved unqualified individuals who later caused legal complications. Another councilor, Herbert, disagreed, saying the accusations lacked supporting evidence.
“We have not seen any document proving that the nominee serves as an NRM leader. If such evidence is unavailable, it should not be used as a reason to block his appointment,” he argued.
Willy Bataringaya guiding Rwampara district council on the delayed service commission approval
Herbert also warned that further delays could affect district operations.
“Other districts have gone six or seven months without an approved commission. We’ve already delayed two months. If we postpone again, recruitment will stall,” he said.
Aryampereza, however, warned that hasty approval could lead to another legal setback, recalling a similar incident four years ago when Rwampara was sued over an irregular appointment to the Service Commission.
“We once went to court over a similar matter. Some members resigned before the case was concluded, and the issue was overtaken by events,” he said.
Speaker King Jotham Mwesigwa acknowledged the concerns but urged the council to strike a balance between legality and progress.
“We want a nonpartisan member. If Byarugaba remains active in NRM, he must resign before serving on the commission,” Mwesigwa said.
District Chairperson Richard Owomugasho echoed that position, saying,
“If he fails to resign from NRM, we can withdraw him from the commission.”
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Willy Bataringaya warned that delays in approving the commission could affect the district’s wage budget and staff recruitment.
“When funds for wages are returned to the treasury unspent, it affects service delivery. We have already received clearance from the Ministry of Public Service to recruit several staff, including a district engineer. Without a fully constituted commission, we cannot proceed,” Bataringaya noted.
He reassured councilors that any nominee found unfit could be removed later through proper procedures.
Willy Bataringaya - CAO Rwampara County
Swizin Kinga Mujema, Commissioner for Local Councils Development at the Ministry of Local Government, cautioned the council to adhere to the law while making appointments.
Quoting Section 61(2) of the Local Government Act (Cap 243), Mujema reminded councilors that:
“A member of Parliament, a local government council, an executive body of a political party or organization, or a public officer shall not be appointed to a Service Commission.”
He advised the council to exercise due diligence but not to delay unnecessarily, as prolonged vacancies harm service delivery.
“Some districts take over six months to fill their commissions. Please act swiftly but within the law,” Mujema said, adding, “There’s no resource more valuable than human resource.”
Ustus Aryampereza, Councillor Bugamba Sub County making his submissions over the district service commission matter
Rwampara County MP Amos Kankunda commended the council for its deliberations but emphasized the need to act in the interest of the people.
“Failure to approve the commission means losing funds from the central government meant for recruitment. Let’s approve the commission subject to verification,” Kankunda advised.
After lengthy deliberations and guidance from the technical and political leaders, councilors unanimously approved the five-member District Service Commission, with amendments to ensure compliance with the law.
“For the good of service delivery and to avoid wage wastage, we approve the commission,” Aryampereza moved in the final resolution.
Rwampara District, known for banana and coffee production, was curved from Mbarara District and officially became operational in July 2019.
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