Kwania job applicants petition NIRA over irregularities, call for fresh recruitment
By Joshua Olomo (editor@vol.co.ug)
Kwania.
A section of job applicants in Kwania district have petitioned the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) officials over alleged gross misconduct and irregularities in the recruitment process in the district.
On 28th February 2024, Head of Recruitment NIRA advertised vacant positions for 10,594 Registration Assistants, data processors 767 positions, Communication Assistant and Research Assistant among other vacant positions, in a countrywide exercise aimed at recruiting personnel to conduct National ID replacement.
However, in Kwania district, a section of the job applicants have petitioned the NIRA Executive Director through the Head of Recruitment NIRA accusing Kwania District Mass Enrollment and Renewal Coordination Committees of biasness.
The petitioners in their letter dated 15th April 2024, copied to Head of Human Resource NIRA, State House Anti-corruption Unit, Kwania Resident District Commissioner and Chief Administration Officer Kwania alleged that the recruitment that was conducted by the recruitment team ( Kwania District Mass Enrollment and Renewal Coordination Committees was marred by gross misconduct and irregularities.
According to the lead petitioner Emmanuel Atim, the recruitment that was conducted on 13th April 2024 at the Office of the Electoral Commission in Kwania was illegal, fraudulently and maliciously conducted.
The petitioner’s further claim that the names of the shortlisted applicants were not displayed after the first recruitment, a number of candidates who did not apply for the job were interviewed and applicants without the required documents were successfully verified among other complaints.
“Impersonators were also allowed for example Okot Andrew presented someone else’s documents in the names of Odur Felix at the time of the verification and was successfully verified, “The letter reads in parts.
The petitioners now want the NIRA officials to nullify and conduct fresh recruitment.
Cavin Adoko, a resident of Telela central in Akali Sub County, one of the job applicants said, “Several candidates who did not apply for the job were interviewed and the recruitment committee chaired by Herimos Odongo, the former town Clerk of Aduku town council received bribes from the job applicants,”.
However, Voice of Lango FM could not independently verify the claim.
Odongo Herimos denied the allegation, saying the recruitment process was transparent.
“Those who showed up were 240 and they were subjected to a competent computer test and the questions were set by NIRA Kampala and they were to do it online. The display was done and we had to select 120 for an oral interview which was even system generated and so the interview was transparent, “he said.
Osborn Mushabe, Public Relation Officer NIRA in his comment via Whatsapp message said they haven’t received the complaint.
“We haven’t received the copy of the petition. We will respond after we have received,”Mushabe said.
However, Arikwanga Richard Noon, Kwania Resident District Commissioner acknowledged the receipt of the copy of the petition, “I also got a copy of the letter of course we shall look into it and those who wrote the letter must also provide evidence against what they are saying, adding that ,” the matter will be investigation.
