By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The East African Community Council of Ministers has unlocked the recruitment process for vacancies that was postponed in October this year.
Making the announcement, the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers who is also Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for EAC and Regional Development, Hon. Adan Mohamed, said that shortlisted applicants from the EAC Partner States would soon receive invitations from the Secretariat to participate in the interviews.
Hon. Mohamed further said that the Council during its deliberations found that the recruitment process had largely been above board, adding that the interviews were expected to begin in earnest to fill the slots that have been vacant for a long time.
To ensure equitability among partner states in the recruitment process, the CS disclosed that 11 of the vacant slots would be reserved for the Republic of South Sudan, the youngest member of the Community.
This is in accordance with the directive of the 41st Council held a day earlier to the Secretariat to ring-fence for the Republic of South Sudan eleven (11) vacant positions out of the fifteen (15) positions that are yet to be shortlisted as an affirmative action in the EAC recruitment process
In the meeting held on 29th November, 2021, the Council of Ministers directed the Secretariat to re-advertise three positions in the Republic of Uganda, namely: Hansard Editor; Hansard Reporter, and; Senior Clerk Assistant. The meeting observed that there were errors in the adverts of for the three positions that excluded candidates from the Republic of Uganda and recommended that the Secretariat re-advertise the positions.
The Council that was chaired by Hon. Mohammed further directed the Secretariat to re-advertise positions where shortlisted candidates were all from one Partner State.
The Council also directed the Secretariat to re-advertise positions where only one candidate had been shortlisted.
The Ministers observed that for positions where only candidates from one Partner State had been shortlisted, required to be reviewed with a view opening vacancy to competition. The meeting also noted that some of the adverts were too restrictive and required a review to enable many candidates apply for the jobs. The meeting noted that it was not tenable for a position to attract only one candidate that meet the requirement and the others could not be shortlisted.
The Ministers directed the Secretariat to continue with the recruitment of all positions not affected by directives in (a), (b) and (c) from January 2022.
The Council reiterated the decision of its 39th Meeting directing that the Republic of Burundi be given priority in subsequent/forthcoming staff recruitment.
On Partner States contributions to EAC, the Council urged Partner States to disburse the contribution for the FY’2021/2022 in accordance with the EAC Financial Rules and Regulations (2012), in order to facilitate the timely execution of the approved budget.
They also called upon Partner States to remit arrears in accordance with the disbursement plans for arrears.
