President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the dismissal of Dr. Godfrey Bonane Pariyo, an orthopedic consultant at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, over complaints of absenteeism. In a directive dated October 16 to the Ministry for Public Service, the President stated, “I am going to dismiss him in the public interest.”
This action was prompted by complaints that Dr. Pariyo is “most of the time absent” from his duties at the hospital.
The President shared this concern with the Minister of Public Service, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, highlighting a broader issue: the practice of public service doctors engaging in private practice, also known as moonlighting.
While the President did not mention who made the complaints or if there had been an investigation, the issue of moonlighting by medical professionals in Uganda’s public sector has long been a subject of concern.
Public service doctors often work privately to supplement their income due to poor pay in government hospitals.
In neighboring countries like Rwanda, public service doctors are strictly forbidden from practicing privately. However, Uganda’s attempts to implement similar regulations have been unsuccessful, resulting in ongoing complaints about absent medical staff when patients need them most.
Addressing the matter, President Museveni questioned whether government doctors should still be allowed to engage in private practice.
“We had allowed this because we had few doctors,” he said. “Now the doctors are many, and some are unemployed. Could we now make it a point for dismissal from government service for any government doctor to work for private practice?”
President Museveni urged Minister Mukasa to consult “patriotic doctors” on how to handle such “traitorous public servants.”
He also revived a debate on whether public servants should be placed on contract terms rather than permanent and pensionable employment, suggesting that contract-based employment could provide more accountability.
However, the President noted that he has previously rejected this idea, worrying that contracts could make public servants constantly anxious about job security. He used a Kiswahili phrase, Kuhahaara, which loosely means “constantly worrying,” to explain this concern.
Additionally, Museveni mentioned that contracts could be misused by bad supervisors to pressure employees into unethical behavior.
Despite his concerns about contracts, the President cited the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) as an example of strict discipline under permanent employment, implying that stricter discipline could be applied to public service as well.
To improve discipline among public servants, President Museveni directed Minister Mukasa to revise the standing orders for public service to ensure faster and more effective disciplinary measures.
This directive adds to the growing list of instances where the President has personally intervened in government affairs. Earlier this month, he ordered the promotion of Ms. Jackie Kemirembe, who had served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for over 15 years.
Museveni has also previously ordered the employment of descendants of long-lost freedom fighters.
With these interventions, the President continues to take a hands-on approach to managing public service issues in Uganda, despite the criticisms such actions often attract.
