Disciplinary action will be taken against district committees that flout recruitment and firing procedures, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has warned. A delegation of PSC officials led by Commissioner Jeanne d`Arc Kanakuze faulted districts for firing workers in disregard of the set administrative procedures. The officials were in Rwamagana, where they addressed district executive secretaries, human resource managers and other managers at the conclusion of the PSC Week on Friday. Kanakuze said it was high time districts and all other employers respected the laws governing public service. She further revealed that a law to reprimand authorities that make government lose money was in the offing. “Unfair dismissal leads to compensation of workers which has proved to be expensive on the side of the government,” she said. “The government has lost millions because of managers who flout the set procedures. This trend must change. I am grateful to note, however, that leaders in the province are beginning to understand how to go about it,” she said. The warning comes after several districts in Eastern Province illegally terminated contracts of some civil servants. Emmanuel Maniraguha, PSC legal officer, said a number of districts were still involved in wrongful dismissal of workers. Citing the example of Bugesera District, he said it was against the law to give transfers as a disciplinary action. The Bugesera District Vice Mayor, in charge of social affairs, revealed that some teachers in the district had been transferred as a disciplinary measure. “If you don’t follow the law, be ready to pay more millions. It is unfortunate that authorities in Bugesera said they punished the teachers with transfers,” Maniraguha said. Maniraguha advised districts to closely follow all cases against them to avoid losses. The district managers and executive secretaries, however, said there was need to assess why government has been losing cases against employees. “We suspect foul play. We have lost all cases yet on several occassions, there is sufficient evidence against the dismissed workers. I think workers are conniving with district lawyers. We need to think of a team rather than leaving a single person, to defend government interests,” said Erick Zikama, Kirehe District Executive Secretary. Maniraguha said that in the past one year, an estimated Rwf290m had been lost in litigations related to irregular dismissal of public servants in districts countrywide. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
