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6,000 government jobs remain vacant

AfriCareers

13 August 2024

5 min read

Despite the high unemployment rate in the country, more than 6,000 government jobs in Uganda remain vacant, according to the latest report by the Auditor General. The report, which was released on Tuesday, revealed that many ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have failed to fill their approved staff positions, affecting service delivery and public accountability. The report also highlighted the challenges faced by the public service in terms of recruitment, retention, performance management and payroll administration.

6,000 government jobs remain vacant despite the high unemployment rate

Thousands of government jobs in Uganda remain unfilled, report says

A new report by the auditor general has revealed that more than 6,000 government jobs in Uganda are vacant, affecting the delivery of public services. The report, which was tabled before parliament on Tuesday, said that the vacancies represent 12.5% of the approved staff structure of the central government.

The report attributed the high vacancy rate to various factors, such as inadequate funding, delays in recruitment processes, lack of career progression, and poor working conditions. The report also noted that some ministries and agencies had not updated their staff structures since 2010, leading to mismatches between the existing and required skills.

The auditor general urged the government to expedite the filling of the vacant positions and to review the staff structures of all ministries and agencies to align them with their mandates and functions. He also recommended that the government should improve the remuneration and welfare of public servants to attract and retain qualified personnel.

The report comes at a time when Uganda is facing several challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, insecurity, corruption, and poverty. The report said that the understaffing of key sectors, such as health, education, agriculture, and justice, could undermine the government's efforts to address these challenges and achieve its development goals.