At least 31 districts and four municipalities are without chief administrative officers (CAOs) and town clerks across the country.
The two offices are the most senior in the districts, cities and municipalities. They are also the accounting officers of their respective districts and administrative units.
A total of 20 districts are also without substantive deputy or assistant CAOs, shifting the entire burden of administration to the top bosses.
The latest list issued by the Ministry of Local Government shows that Abim, Amolatar, Amudat, Arua, Bukwo, Bulambuli, Buliisa, and Butaleja are without CAOs.
Others are Butebo, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kanungu, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kyankwanzi, Lyantonde, Mbarara, Mitooma, Namisindwa, Napak, Omoro, Palisa, Rakai, Rwampara, Sheema, and Terego. Meanwhile, Sheema, Rukungiri, Koboko, and Kisoro municipalities are without substantive town clerks.
It is not clear what happened to the districts and municipalities without CAOs and town clerks. Some of the affected districts are those that lost parts of their administrative units to the new cities, including Arua and Mbarara districts.
Nothing is also said about whether some of the CAOs have been dropped. For example, former Arua District CAO Jude Mark Bukenya is nowhere on the list of those deployed, same like Mr Edward Kasagara, the former CAO of Mbarara District.
Mr Ben Kumumanya, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, did not respond to our repeated calls yesterday to explain why a number of districts are without the CAOs. Mr Raphael Magyezi, the Minister of Local Government, could not also be reached by press time.
