By Our Reporter
KAPELEBYONG
The Senior District Commercial Officer, Kapebelyong District is literally on rampage attacking those he believes are frustrating his efforts to get a contract appointment after his retirement.
Mr. Michael Ekunyu is due for retirement on the 15th of July, 2022 (today).
In a widely circulated watsup message, Ekunyu is reported to have had a clash with the district chairman Kapelebyong, Hon. Francis Akorikin last week.
According to inside sources within the district, the Commercial officer connived with the Chief Administrative Officer, David Lubuuka to seek for contract extension for two more years after his mandatory retirement of 60 years.
In a letter dated 15th June, Mr. Lubuuka requested the Secretary Kapelebyong District Service Commission, Ms. Agono Margret to consider giving Ekunyu a contract appointment for two years to support in the rollout of the Parish Development Model.
However, this website has since learnt that the Commission has not responded to the CAO’s letter requesting for a contract appointment for Mr. Ekunyu, something that has made the latter ‘run amok’.
The media tried all efforts to contact Lubuuka the CAO, but he put off the phone upon hearing the person introducing as a media reporter.
Out of frustration, Mr. Ekunyu last week went out of his mind to attack the district chairman during a High profile district meeting asking him to talk to the district commission to give him a two year contract.
“Chairman, why has the service commission failed to hung the shortlist yet the ones for teachers has come out, I really need an answer from you,” Ekunyu said during a meeting that the district leadership had attended in Kapelebyong.
“Muzei, what are you talking about? I don’t have any order to stop the service commission from doing their work and in any case, I tasked the commission to explain why the shortlist has delayed but they told me that money for sitting is not in place,” Akorikin roared.
According to Akorikin, Ekunyu went to him soliciting to be given a job because the retirement time has approached when he has not completed roofing his village house and that he hoped the PDM (Parish Development model) will give him some money to also stabilize his family through allowances.
“I prefer anonymity but let me tell you my brother, I can’t force myself to be given a more two years contract even when I’m left with just one or two days to retire, that is punishing myself because if given that contract still, pressure will come and your old to implement quick decisions, field work etc,” One of the technical staff in Kapelebyong district told us.
Hon. Richard Enyagu, the district councilor for Kapelebyong Town Council said that, Ekunyu is one of the oldest serving civil servants in Kapelebyong and for that matter he must be treated well while retiring.
Other community members whom we talked to expressed their dissatisfaction saying old people should pave way for the new generation through retiring when their time clocks.
It’s out of this hard life that the Commercial officer is threatening to refuse to retire according to reliable information obtained from some members in Kapelebyong district local government.
Our efforts to get a comment from the District Service Commission were futile since they are in a hard to reach area in terms of network.
Meanwhile, the district chairman has advised the currently frustrated Ekunyu to take his concerns to the relevant district organs instead of him threatening and blackmailing him.
“In any case, I have no role in promotion or recruitment of staff.” Akorikin said.
