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Kampala — The Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe, has summoned executive directors and commissioners from government agencies affected by the government agencies merger or Rationalisation of Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) exercise to account for existing vacancies and unabsorbed staff.
Reliable sources indicate that the meeting is scheduled for Thursday this week, and will involve all chief executives and commissioners from the affected institutions.
Even qualifying employees who were affected are expected to attend.
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The agenda is expected to focus on identifying available vacancies, reviewing staffing gaps, and assessing the status of employees who have not yet been placed following the restructuring.
Sources intimated to us that Nakyobe is furious after getting reports that some MDA bosses and commissioners are ring fencing the positions for friends, girlfriends and relatives.
Sources say some qualifying employees have also been equally kicked out by some MDA bosses and commissioners just to settle old fights.
Nakyobe reportedly has several whistle-blower reports on each MDA boss and all will be put to task.
According to the vision bearers of RAPEX, the rationalisation is projected to save government up to Shs1 trillion annually in salaries and rental expenses by eliminating duplication and consolidating operations.
Over 3000 staff were affected the merger. Officials from the Ministry of Public Service have previously stated that all affected employees would either be absorbed or compensated under the Shs73.6 billion package allocated for pensions, gratuities, and severance pay.
Among the agencies already merged or reintegrated include:
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre with the Uganda Wildlife Authority; National Libraries of Uganda with the Ministry of Education and Sports; National Population Council and National Physical Planning Board absorbed by the National Planning Authority; National NGO Bureau returned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; and National Meteorology Authority reverted to the Ministry of Water and Environment. UNRA went back to Ministry of Works among others.
Additionally, five entities — the National Youth Council, National Women’s Council, National Children’s Authority, National Council for Disability, and National Council for Older Persons — have been consolidated under a single National Secretariat for Special Interest Groups within the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development.
Meanwhile, some new entities, such as the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotions Authority — formed from the merger of the Free Zones Authority and the Export Promotions Board — are operating without boards of directors.
The rationalisation process remains ongoing, with the Public Service ministry confirming that 24 of the 60 agencies have already been handled, and 23 of the 24 Acts of Parliament governing these mergers have been passed, with 21 assented to by the President.
