Transport Officer’s Promotion Halted After Questions Over Engineering Credentials

KAMPALA — Internal government documents have revealed that suspended Principal Road Safety Officer Ronald Amanyire’s promotion to a senior position in the Ministry of Works and Transport was halted after concerns emerged over engineering qualifications and Public Service recruitment requirements.

Amanyire has recently argued that his interdiction was retaliation for “exposing corruption” and “criticizing failures by anti-corruption agencies to investigate senior officials.”

But the records indicate that disputes surrounding his suitability for promotion and eligibility for senior technical office had already emerged years earlier and were closely tied to engineering registration requirements and Public Service rules.

The documents show that the Public Service Commission (PSC) had initially approved Amanyire for interviews for the post of Assistant Commissioner for Road Transport Regulation and Safety, a senior U1E position.

In an internal memo dated January 7, 2020, the ministry informed Amanyire that the PSC had “directed that you be interviewed in order to assess your suitability for appointment as Assistant Commissioner, Road Transport Regulation and Safety, Scale U1E.”

However, the recruitment process later ran into controversy after complaints were filed challenging the eligibility of the shortlisted candidate.

In a February 5, 2020 letter to the Public Service Commission, Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa acknowledged concerns surrounding the recruitment and qualifications for the position.

“The standard is that all Engineers at the level of Assistant Commissioner for any Job in the Public Service MUST be registered with the Engineers Registration Board (ERB),” Waiswa wrote.

The ministry also admitted that the shortlisted candidate had not completed the required period of service at principal level.

“At the time of submission, the shortlisted candidate had not made three years. He was promoted to the post of Principal Safety Officer in December 2016. Forwarding him was therefore an error that is regrettable,” the letter stated.

Separate appeal documents submitted to the Public Service Commission by anonymous complainants argued that the recruitment process was “unfair and possibly fraudulent.”

“We note with concern that the candidate that has been shortlisted for interview is not a registered Engineer and has not served at a principal level for the required three years or more,” the complaint stated.

The complainants further argued that some engineers who qualified for the role did not apply because they believed the recruitment standards would be strictly enforced.

“There are several of us who did not apply for the position because we felt that we did not have all of the above requirements even when we are more experienced than him,” the appeal letter added.

The position’s advertised requirements included a master’s degree in engineering, transport economics, transport planning, logistics, public administration or related fields, alongside registration with a recognized professional body for engineers.

Following the controversy, the Public Service Commission reversed its earlier decision.

In a June 5, 2020 letter addressed to Amanyire, the ministry informed him that “PSC Minute No. 2360 of 2019 be rescinded” and that the Assistant Commissioner position “will be externally advertised.”

The emergence of the documents adds another layer to the growing public fallout between Amanyire and ministry leadership.