• Updated at 1321 EAT on Monday 13th June 2022.

Muslims in Uganda must obey the NRM government if they want to access top positions in the public service sector according to Kayunga resident district commissioner (RDC) Al-Hajji Nsereko Mutumba. 

Speaking at the congratulatory party of Hajjat Ahmed Saba, who has been appointed director for human resource at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Mutumba said the NRM government cannot employ someone who will sabotage its programs.

Mutumba said that before the NRM government appoints anyone in a key position, it first sends its intelligence team to gather information about that person. If the person is found to have been antagonistic or previously talking ill about the government, Mutumba says, such a person definitely misses out on the opportunity.

Therefore, Mutumba adds that Muslims who wish to get ‘juicy’ jobs in the NRM government need to be submissive, obedient and patient. Mutumba cited his own example of being appointed RDC Kayunga just a year ago yet he has been supporting NRM government and its programs since the 1980s.

Mutumba asked Hajjat Saba to remain obedient to the system in place if she wants to benefit more from the government. When Muslims increasingly become humble, Mutumba says, they will be able to secure more vital positions in very important agencies, ministries and departments like the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), UCAA and Bank of Uganda.

Saba has been serving as commissioner for human resource at URA until weeks ago when she became the new UCAA director with the same responsibilities. She joined URA 16 years ago at 22 years and rose through the ranks up to commissioner.

Asked how she will avoid being entangled in the mess that has been happening at corruption-riddled UCAA which also suffers dubious appointments of staff, Saba said she will apply the skills she has been using at URA majorly being humble, consulting and giving an ear to all positive advice.

Works and Transport minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, in February admitted that UCAA had made mistakes in awarding of the multi-billion shillings contract for the expansion of Entebbe international airport.

Katumba was appearing before the parliament’s committee on commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises (Cosase) alongside UCAA officials. This came after Finance minister Matia Kasaija admitted the presence of loopholes in the Shs 703 billion loan agreement Uganda signed with the Exim Bank of China. 

The MPs unearthed numerous irregularities in the award of the contract to China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) a contract worth $200 million to expand the airport.

Last year, a former UCAA official, Jabbe Pascal Osinde Osudo, petitioned Cosase to investigate irregularities in the appointment of Fred Kanyogoga Bamwesigye a new director general of the same entity.

Osudo said Bamwesigye’s academic credentials were lacking adding that the Bamwesigye had even amended his age to bypass the retirement cap. Osudo gave an example of Bamwesigye’s passport issued in 2004 which showed he was born on November 27, 1963, yet another showed he was born November 27, 1967, while his Makerere documents showed he was born on November 27 1964