Kween district staff locked out of office over late coming

Kween District LCV chairperson Paul Majinjach Kapchemaiko on Monday locked out several local government staff, including the chief administrative officer (CAO), over what he described as persistent late coming and poor time management among civil servants.

Kapchemaiko, who said he arrived at the district headquarters at about 7:30 am, said the first staff members reported for duty at around 9:30 am, contrary to the reporting time prescribed under the Public Service Standing Orders.

At about 8 am, the chairperson deployed police officers at the main entrance to prevent staff from accessing the premises. The employees remained outside until about 11:35 am, when Kapchemaiko allowed them into the compound and convened an emergency meeting.

During the meeting, Kapchemaiko issued the staff a final warning, saying the action was intended to restore discipline, punctuality and improve service delivery at the district.

He said some civil servants had developed a habit of reporting late for duty and warned that he would continue taking measures to enforce punctuality.

“I hear some people say that with local government jobs, you work at your convenience. That is wrong and I am not going to stop this method of locking them outside,” Kapchemaiko said.

He said Kween needed committed civil servants who take their responsibilities seriously if the district is to improve its performance and service delivery.

A staff member at Kween District Local Government, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said although the chairperson’s approach was unusual, the issue of punctuality and accountability needed to be addressed.

The staff member, however, cautioned that measures to enforce discipline should be accompanied by dialogue and clear communication between district leaders and employees.

“We agree reporting to work on time is important, but the issue should also be handled through proper communication and the established administrative procedures. We need to understand what is expected of us and the consequences of failing to meet those expectations,” the staff member said.

Joseph Chebengat, a former Kween District LCV councillor representing Binyiny Town Council, welcomed the chairperson’s decision, saying strict measures could help restore discipline and improve efficiency within the district administration.

“This initiative is going to help the system work well. With people knowing that there is accountability and supervision, they will stop being lazy and report to work on time,” Chebengat said.

Mark Cherop, a project coordinator at the Kapchorwa Civil Society Alliance (KACSOA), said punctuality and accountability among public servants were critical to improving service delivery.

Cherop said local government officials should treat their positions as a public responsibility and ensure they are available to serve citizens during official working hours.

“Public servants are employed to serve the people, so reporting to work on time should not be treated as a favour. There must be discipline, accountability and commitment if communities are to receive the services they deserve,” Cherop said.

Kapchemaiko said district leadership would continue monitoring staff attendance and performance, warning that repeated absenteeism and late coming would attract disciplinary action.

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