News In Brief

Tardy civil servants get locked out in Uganda

Ugandan President Milton Obote shut the gates to parliament buildings Tuesday to catch civil servants arriving late for work. Witnesses said Mr. Obote arrived at parliament at 9 a.m., an hour after civil servants were supposed to be at work, and ordered that no one below the rank of undersecretary could enter. Security personnel were instructed to take the names of the latecomers.

Many civil servants were heard to complain that they were late because they could not afford bus fares, which have risen sharply in recent months, and had to walk to work.