By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has called on President Museveni Tibuhaburwa to start searching for a replacement for the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Martin Okoth Ochola, without delay.
John Kikonyogo, the FDC spokesperson made the remarks during a Press conference at their party headquarters Najjanankumbi on Monday March 4.
Ochola was appointed IGP in March 2018, to replace his Boss Gen. Kale Kayihura who had served in the same capacity for three consecutive terms. When the first three-year contract expired in March 2021, President Museveni extended it for another three years which expires today March 4.
Pointing out the delayed appointment for the governor of the Bank of Uganda and numerous vacancies in the public service, Kikonyogo asked the appointing authority to expeditiously name the new IGP to replace Ochola in order to avoid creating problems in the UPF command structure.
FDC further decried the delayed appointment of unemployed graduates in public service which they say such vacuum results into heavy workloads and exploitation of the existing workers.
“The Auditor General report mentioned about 60847 vacancies in public service and every year universities like Makerere graduates averagely 12,000 graduates. This means graduates who graduated at Makerere University in the last five years can be employed in one day. The government is making Ugandans poorer when there are vacancies. They are crying for jobs but government is sitting on them,” Kikonyogo said
He added, “As the FDC, we are too much concerned. Why is government not filling these vacancies and every year we get graduates?” He appealed to government to fill all vacancies in the public service and not to appoint people in acting capacities.
The unemployment rate was 12 percent in 2021, which is an increase from 9 percent in 2019/2020. Unemployed is higher in females compared to males in all the survey years, according to UBOS.
