The National Land Commission (NLC) has blamed years of budget constraints and government recruitment restrictions for its failure to employ enough persons with disabilities and fill hundreds of vacant positions, telling MPs that it remains committed to meeting the legal requirements once funding improves.
The Commission made the explanation while appearing before the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to respond to issues raised in the Auditor-General's report for the financial year ended June 30, 2025.
The audit questioned the Commission's compliance with the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2023, which requires public institutions to ensure that at least five per cent of their workforce comprises persons with disabilities.
According to the report, only seven of the Commission's 628 employees are persons with disabilities, accounting for about one per cent of the workforce and falling below the legal threshold.
Auditors also noted that although the Commission recruited 99 employees during the period under review, none was a person with a disability, raising concerns about compliance with the law.
Responding to the committee, NLC Chief Executive Officer Kabale Tache said the Commission is working towards meeting the legal requirement, adding that the current situation has been driven by long-standing staffing challenges and few applications from qualified persons with disabilities.
"We are trying to adhere to the law. In the next recruitment we shall deliberately consider."
Public Accounts Committee Chairperson directed the Commission to provide an updated recruitment status when it next appears before the committee.
"Make sure you bring the updated status of recruitment."
The Auditor-General's report also highlighted a wider staffing challenge at the Commission, showing that only 628 of the approved 1,216 positions had been filled, leaving a gap of 588 employees.
The report stated that the staffing levels do not meet the requirements set out in the National Land Commission Human Resource Manual, 2015, which provides for adequate staffing to support efficient service delivery.
Tache told MPs that government austerity measures and limited budget allocations had prevented the Commission from recruiting enough staff to fill the approved positions.
"Due to recruitment freezes imposed by austerity measures and periodic budget constraints, the commission has been unable to fill all required vacancies as per the staff establishment of 1216 and in post of 628 leaving a variance of 588."
Committee members agreed that inadequate funding continues to affect the Commission's ability to carry out its mandate.
Butere MP Tindi Mwale urged Parliament to engage the Departmental Committee on Lands to push for increased funding so the Commission can recruit additional staff.
"As much as we pin the CEO down, the fact remains there is no funding. We should liase with the lands committee to ensure that the commission gets more funds to recruit. What if they recruit there is no funds to pay the employees?"
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo, however, sought to know whether the Commission had deliberately failed to comply with the disability employment requirement.
"Come out very clearly. Is this thing deliberate?"
In response, Tache maintained that the Commission's inability to meet the target is linked to financial constraints and not a lack of willingness to comply with the law.
"We still stand and say that we are underfunded."
The committee will continue examining the Commission's responses before making recommendations on the audit findings, including proposals aimed at improving compliance with disability employment requirements and addressing the staffing shortfall.