Kitgum Council Defers Decision on Service Commission Term Extension

27 February 2026, 6:34 pm

By Otim Moses

Kitgum District Council has deferred a decision on extending the term of the District Service Commission to May, following a heated debate among councilors.

During his State of the District Address, Chairperson Mr. Arwai Christopher Obol said extending the commission’s term would allow it to recruit 80 pending staff and avoid delays in service delivery.

However, Pager Division Councilor, Hon Odera Charles Otto, argued that the Local Government Act does not permit approval of a new commission before the current term ends, suggesting the district could instead seek support from a neighboring district.

Central and Pager Division Female Councilor, Atim Cavin Joyce proposed an emergency meeting to resolve the matter, while Workers’ councilor, Jackson Oloworo urged council to prioritize continuity of services.

Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Habib Abubakar warned that failure to act could halt recruitment and force the district to return funds to the Consolidated Fund. The Speaker later deferred the matter to the next council sitting for further deliberations.