This archive report was first published on 17 August 2020.
The East African Community (EAC) secretariat is embroiled in a recruitment dispute between Rwanda and Uganda, with both countries vying for control over senior positions.
According to separate correspondence seen by The EastAfrican, Uganda and Rwanda have directed EAC secretary-general Liberat Mfumukeko on how to fill more than 40 senior positions, including those of directors, principal officers, IT specialists, human resource officers, accountants, and researchers.
Some of these positions have remained vacant since 2018, exacerbating a staff shortage at the secretariat.
Mr. Mfumukeko wrote to the chair of the EAC Council of Ministers, Rwanda's Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta, stating that filling these critical positions is necessary to avert a staffing crisis in the organs and institutions.
However, Rwanda wants the EAC secretariat to revive a botched 2018 recruitment for the same positions, while Uganda is calling for fresh recruitment and interviews for advertised vacancies.
Uganda's permanent secretary in East African Community Affairs, Edith Mwanje, argued that the recruitment process should start afresh, citing changes that have taken place at the Secretariat, including a 'Workload Analysis and Job Evaluation' that has affected job and personnel specifications.
Meanwhile, the EAC Council of Ministers has directed that all recruitment of staff be carried out by the mandated Ad hoc Service Commission (ASC).
Dr. Biruta, the council chair, directed that all staff recruitment must abide by the directive, adding that all matters related to the recruitment processes and procedures of EAC Staff should be handled by the ASC.
