Tension briefly mounted during the 4th council meeting of the Adjumani district council on Friday, March 6, 2026, after a motion seeking the reappointment of two members to the District Service Commission sparked a heated debate among councillors.
The motion was moved by the Leader of Government Business, also the Vice Chairperson, Kaijoka Richard Aurtha, who argued that renewing the terms of the commissioners was necessary to ensure continuity in service delivery and avoid disruption in recruitment processes within the district.
Presenting the report of the District Executive Committee (DEC), Kaijoka explained that the district needed to act quickly because the allocated wage bill for recruiting technical staff could be exhausted by the end of the financial year if the Service Commission office did not function smoothly.
“The wage bill allocated to Adjumani district for the recruitment of technical staff will be withdrawn by the end of the financial year. It is therefore important that we act in a timely and responsible manner to ensure continuity in the operation of the District Service Commission office,” he told the council.
Kaijoka then presented the names of two members whose terms had either expired or were nearing expiry for renewal. They included Reverend Sister Maia Francis, whose term of office expired on February 23, 2026, and Amoko Eugene Budu, whose term is expected to end on May 23, 2026.
However, the motion quickly drew criticism from some councillors who questioned the urgency of reappointing a member whose term had not yet expired.
The councillor representing Ciforo sub-county, Anyanzo John Ambayo, challenged the move, saying the council should follow the legal procedures governing the appointment of members to the District Service Commission.
“Mr Speaker, it is indicated in the DEC meeting that the term of office that expired on 23rd February was for Mr Amoko Eugene Budu, and we are ready to approve his reappointment. But for the other member, the term is yet to expire in May. Why do we rush when the law says the process should begin after the expiration?” he asked.
The debate grew more intense when another councillor, Drichi Charles representing Pakele Town Council, stood up to correct what he described as confusion in the names and terms of office presented in the motion.
“We have Reverend Sister Maria Francis whose term of office expired on 23rd February 2026, which is contrary to what he said. I also want to correct him because he said it is Amoko who can be reappointed. That was wrong. We need to amend that,” Drichi said.
He added that the council should strictly adhere to the law and suggested that only members whose term had already expired should be considered for approval.
“Maybe Mr Speaker, if we are to act within the law, then we shall only approve one person,” he emphasised.
As the disagreement continued among councillors, Speaker Olayia intervened to calm the situation and guided the house on the way forward.
He directed the committee responsible for the matter to review the report and clarify the details before bringing it back for consideration.
“I want to urge the committee members to go back and review this matter and then present it to the District Executive Committee for further discussion. But for now, let us move to the next motion,” Olayia ruled.
The directive temporarily halted the debate and allowed the council to proceed with other business on the agenda, though the issue is expected to return for further deliberation once the committee completes its review.
The District Service Commission plays a key role in the recruitment and management of civil servants at the district level, making its composition a matter of significant interest to councillors and residents alike.
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