governance 17 September 2026 Nile Post
Minister Musherure Cites Absenteeism, Staffing Shortages as Key Service Delivery Obstacles
State Minister for Microfinance, Hon. Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, has identified persistent staff absenteeism and critical staffing gaps as major impediments to effective service delivery in Uganda's local governments. She also pointed to weak supervision as a contributing factor. Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/371441/minister-musherure-points-to-staff-absenteeism-staffing-gaps-as-drivers-of-poor-service-delivery
Minister of State for Microfinance, Hon. Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, has highlighted significant issues within local government structures that are hindering the delivery of essential services to citizens. During a budget conference in Hoima, attended by local government leaders from the Bunyoro and Tooro sub-regions, Musherure underscored that pervasive staff absenteeism and substantial staffing gaps are directly undermining service quality.
Compounding these problems, the Minister noted the peculiar situation where some districts return unspent wage funds at the close of the financial year, even while reporting critical shortages of personnel. This paradox, she argued, points to deeper systemic inefficiencies.
Furthermore, Minister Musherure stressed the urgent need to bolster supervision by accounting officers and department heads. She indicated that inadequate oversight contributes significantly to poor performance, mismanagement of public funds, and unnecessary delays in resolving service delivery challenges.
Beyond personnel issues, the Minister also touched upon procurement delays, weak contract management, cost overruns on projects, and insufficient maintenance of infrastructure. These factors, she explained, collectively diminish the quality, functionality, and overall value for money of public investments.
Echoing these concerns, John Muheirwoha, Commissioner for Budget Policy and Evaluation at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, questioned the rationale behind districts failing to fill vacant positions despite allocated funds. He also raised red flags regarding districts lacking functional service commissions, which leads to prolonged reliance on acting staff instead of permanent appointments.
Muheirwoha acknowledged that some districts struggle to attract professionals, such as engineers, citing this as another reason for their staffing deficits. He assured that the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Service and local governments, is committed to addressing these multifaceted staffing challenges.