Controversy looms in Namisindwa as district cancels production officer interview at last minute

Namisindwa, Uganda:- Tension and frustration gripped Namisindwa District on Monday after interviews for key department heads, including the District Production Officer and Agricultural Engineer, were abruptly postponed despite shortlisted candidates showing up.

The unexpected cancellation on the very scheduled day for the interviews left several applicants disheartened, as many had traveled from various parts of the region to attend what they hoped would be a decisive step in their career paths.

Rehema Khatundi, the Acting Personnel Officer and Acting Secretary of the District Service Commission, told DailyExpress that the interviews were specifically slated for April 7 and were expected to cover the posts of District Production Officer and Agricultural Engineer.

However, she revealed that technical personnel from the relevant ministry failed to appear, despite having confirmed earlier.

“We received apologies from the ministry team, though no reasons were given for their absence. After consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer, we decided to postpone the exercise,” Khatundi told DailyExpress.

The Chairperson of the District Service Commission, Grace Watuwa, confirmed the development, saying that interviews may resume on Tuesday, starting with positions such as Chief Financial Officer and District Engineer.

Namisindwa District had earlier advertised several high-profile positions, including District Health Officer, District Engineer, and Chief Financial Officer, for which candidates had already been shortlisted.

Some of the affected applicants, who preferred anonymity, expressed anger and suspicion, accusing the District of poor communication and possible internal sabotage. “If this was a known issue, they should have informed us last week, not when we’ve already reported for the interviews,” one candidate lamented.

There are also growing concerns that the cancellation may not have been entirely procedural.

Sources within the District Security Committee confirmed that a closed-door meeting was held last week, where a resolution was allegedly made to suspend interviews for the District Production Officer position. The reason for the decision remains unclear, but Monday’s events appear to align with that directive.

The Production Officer role has reportedly attracted controversy, with some stakeholders suggesting political interference or internal conflicts could be at play.

By press time on Monday evening, no new dates had been officially communicated for the postponed interviews.