Gulu City Service Commission hands over office after end of term

The Gulu City Service Commission has officially handed over office following the completion of its four-year term, which began on January 18, 2022, and ended on January 18, 2026.

The handover ceremony took place on February 2, at the Gulu City Service Commission offices in Pece-Laroo Division.

Speaking during the ceremony, the chairperson of the Commission, Ochora Michael, expressed satisfaction with the commission’s performance over the last four years, noting that the team successfully executed its mandate.

“It is a requirement that upon completion of our term, we hand over the office to another team constituted through recommendations from the relevant authorities and approval by the City Council. I am happy that this process has been completed and that most of our members have been recommended for another term,” Ochora said.

Ochora explained that the commission worked closely with the Office of the Town Clerk through the appointed secretariat. He highlighted that the commission’s core mandate included recruitment, appointment, and promotion of staff, guided by strict merit-based principles to support professionalism within the city’s public service.

During its term, the commission handled 441 cases related to recruitment, including appointments on probation, resignations, and transfers of service within the relevant local governments.

To promote transparency, the commission strengthened recruitment processes with the support of technical personnel.

The commission approved over 90 staff positions, attracting 1,187 applications by the close of the application period. While some positions received no applicants, others recorded overwhelming numbers.

However, the commission also faced several challenges, particularly budget constraints that affected staff welfare. Outstanding arrears amounting to shs41,546,000 are owed to commission members and technical staff who supported recruitment activities.

As part of the handover, the commission transferred office assets to the Office of the Town Clerk, including office furniture, shelves, a wall clock, a sofa set, an office chair, door keys, files, recruitment records, and other official documents.

Ochora also revealed that the commission encountered cases of applicants submitting fake academic documents, which were detected during shortlisting and interviews.

He noted that this raised concerns about academic integrity within the public service.

Additionally, some staff whose offices were abolished by the City Council failed to vacate their offices, resulting in unproductive service delivery, he said.

Among the commission’s recommendations were staff capacity building, clearer communication between the commission and the technical staff led by the Town Clerk, and increased funding for the City Service Commission to enhance its operations.

Gulu City Mayor, Okwonga Alfred, commended the commission for its dedicated service, describing its work as transparent and impactful.

“Your work has strengthened our institutions, and the recruitment of human resources in Gulu City has remained fair because of your transparency. Your efforts have been felt in hospitals, schools, and other institutions through the teachers and health workers you recruited,” the Mayor said.

He further disclosed that shs1.3 billion has been allocated for the recruitment of new staff, targeting about 82 positions, emphasizing that the funds should be utilized within the current financial year to improve service delivery.

The Gulu City Resident City Commissioner, Ambrose Onoria, also praised the commission, describing it as one of the most transparent teams he has witnessed during his term as RCC.

“Since I assumed office, I have never experienced such a clear and transparent commission as this team,” he said.

Onoria advised the Office of the Town Clerk to ensure adequate restocking of tools and equipment before the new commission assumes office to ensure smooth operations.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Town Clerk, Akello Regina, revealed that Gulu City is currently operating at below 35 percent staffing levels, adding that the ongoing recruitment exercise is expected to raise staffing to approximately 55 percent.

She also promised to work closely with the team to ensure that her office offers all the necessary support needed for better service delivery to the people of Gulu City.