There is uncertainty at Kotido district local government as the planned recruitment exercise remains hanging in balance.

The district had in the new financial year, planned to recruit workers to fill in a number of vacant positions across the different departments including the hospital.

Subsequently the district council constituted a district service commission, in anticipation of the recruitment exercise.

However, in a new twist of events, Kotido district chief administrative officer Godfrey Ogwang says the recruitment exercise has now been suspended by ministry of finance, after a special payroll audit was conducted by the auditor general.

He says the exercise that was undertaken by the auditor general across all 367government entities comprising 162 departments, 179 local governments and 29 other government organizations in February 2023, established that government has been paying over 53 billion shillings annually to ghost employees, which he says has affected recruitment plans.

Ogwang says according to a new directive issued by the auditor general to the district, all recruitment plans are to be put on hold, pending the auditor’s final report.

Cue//…Ogwang on recruitment eng

While presenting the handover report to his successor last year, the former Kotido CAO, Joseph Lomongin revealed that nearly 50% of positions at Kotido district local government are vacant and manned by caretakers.

According to Lomongin all this has affected service delivery at the district as some officers have been assigned double tasks to cover up on the existing gaps.

Cue//…Lomongin on substantive staff eng