Wednesday, July 2, 2025
UG Standard - Latest News
  • Home
  • News
    • DIPLOMACY
    • COURT
    • AFRICA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • INTERVIEW:
    • National
    • Parliament
    • World
    • Regional
  • Business
    • AGRIBUSINESS
    • OIL & GAS
    • REAL ESTATE
    • TECH
    • INNOVATIONS
    • TELCOM
  • OpED
  • EDUCATION
  • INVESTIGATION
    • NATIONAL ARCHIVE
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • ANALYSIS
  • FEATURES
    • SOCIETY
    • Community
    • Pictorial
    • PROFILES
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • ENVIRONMENT
  • Tours & Travel
    • Hotel & Hospitality
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Login
UG Standard - Latest News
ADVERTISEMENT

Year-Ender: Uganda’s Public Service shake-up—RAPEX, job cuts, and the future of key agencies

by JAVIRA SSEBWAMI | PUBLIC EDITOR
30/12/2024
in AFRICA, AGRIBUSINESS, ANALYSIS, Business, National, News, Regional, SPECIAL REPORT, special reports
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni addresses African Chief Justices, emphasizing the crucial link between economic prosperity and effective justice administration. "Prosperity is key to justice prevailing," he stresses, sharing Uganda's success story in improving judicial welfare
President Yoweri Museveni emphasizes the importance of adding value to Uganda’s coffee, stating that the country should reap more benefits from its coffee exports

Uganda’s government, under the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) policy, has undertaken significant steps to streamline its public sector in 2024.

This restructuring effort, aimed at reducing redundancy, cutting public administration costs, and enhancing service delivery, has led to the merger or dissolution of several government agencies. However, these changes have sparked considerable controversy, particularly concerning the coffee sector, with concerns over potential disruptions, inefficiencies, and the impact on public services.

Related posts

Aflatoxin crackdown: Uganda's UNBS mandates quality marks for maize exports, banning uncertified produce to ensure safer grain.

UNBS Puts Stop to Substandard Maize Exports to Combat Aflatoxin

27/06/2025
166
Dr. Matthias Magoola a Ugandan scientist, has filed more than 100 patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and is well published in several peer-reviewed scientific journals

BIG STORY! Dei Biophama to produce affordable, newly approved HIV drug in Uganda

24/06/2025
224
KCB Bank's Head of Treasury outlines the bank's strategic initiatives to back Uganda's key economic sectors, affirming its role in national development.

KCB Bank Pledges Support for Ugandan Economic Pillars

24/06/2025
164
Kenya's Ministry of Agriculture has banned 77 pesticide products and restricted 202 others, citing health and environmental risks

Kenya Bans 77 Pesticides, Restricts 202 More Over Health, Environmental Risks

23/06/2025
176

The Rationale Behind the Rationalisation

The RAPEX policy was introduced with the dual objectives of improving governance efficiency and reducing the financial burden of public administration.

Uganda’s government has cited the increasing cost of running multiple agencies—amounting to Shs 1.3 trillion annually as of 2021—as a key motivator for these changes. According to Minister for Public Service, Muruuli Mukasa, the proliferation of agencies led to overlapping mandates and jurisdictional ambiguities that hindered effective service delivery.

Dr. Gerald Karyeija, Dean of the School of Management at Uganda Management Institute, views the reorganisation as a positive step towards a more streamlined and cost-effective government.

He argues that such reforms, rooted in new public management principles, are essential to improving public sector performance, not merely saving money.

However, Karyeija also emphasizes that the restructuring should extend beyond agencies to include the Cabinet and other government departments to ensure broader administrative efficiencies.

The Agencies Affected: Mergers and Dissolutions

Among the most significant mergers was the integration of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) into the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).

This move, which has already been completed following President Museveni’s assent to the relevant bills, was seen as a way to streamline the coffee sector’s operations and enhance coordination with broader agricultural policies.

However, opposition legislators raised concerns over the impact of such a merger on the coffee industry, especially given the sector’s importance to Uganda’s economy.

Similarly, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) was dissolved, and its functions were absorbed into the Ministry responsible for roads.

The government argued that this would reduce administrative costs and enhance efficiency in managing the country’s road infrastructure.

Other notable mergers include the consolidation of National Information Technology Authority of Uganda (NITA-U) with the Ministry of ICT and the integration of Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) into the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). In the Ministry of Gender, several councils—including the National Youth Council, National Women’s Council, and National Council for Disability—were merged under a single secretariat to streamline operations.

Controversies and Concerns

Despite the government’s assertions about efficiency gains, the RAPEX policy has been met with mixed reactions.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus, led by President Museveni, has strongly supported the rationalisation.

One of the most significant concerns involves the impact on workers.

The Ministry of Public Service has requested a budget of Shs 79.3 billion for the 2024/25 financial year to compensate around 2,200 public servants who are expected to be laid off due to the agency mergers. Critics have questioned whether these severances will truly lead to long-term benefits or merely deepen unemployment in an already strained job market.

Additionally, concerns have emerged regarding the impact on sectors like energy.

Jude Kamuganga, a lawyer and policy associate at Envirosure Consulting, cautioned that while some mergers could improve efficiency, others, particularly in the energy sector, could backfire.

He pointed to the unbundling of the electricity sector under the Electricity Act of 1999, which created separate entities for generation, transmission, and distribution, as a model of efficiency that could be undone by mergers in the energy sector.

Buganda Kingdom’s Response: A Deepening Rift

The merger of UCDA has particularly strained relations between the central government and Buganda Kingdom.

Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga has been vocal in his opposition, arguing that the dissolution of UCDA disproportionately affects the Baganda people, who contribute nearly 50% of Uganda’s coffee exports.

Mayiga contends that the move is politically motivated, viewing it as a “victory” against the Baganda community.

He emphasized that the Kingdom of Buganda has repeatedly warned against the removal of UCDA, which plays a key role in overseeing coffee production, a vital source of livelihood for nearly 2 million Ugandan households.

In response, President Museveni met with Buganda and Bukedi MPs to address concerns over the coffee bill. 

He dismissed allegations of potential monopoly formation, attributing recent fluctuations in coffee prices to global market dynamics, particularly adverse conditions affecting major coffee-producing nations like Brazil and Vietnam.

The Economic and Social Impact: Navigating a Rocky Road Ahead

The long-term success of the RAPEX policy will depend on the government’s ability to manage the transitions effectively.

The promised cost savings from merging agencies could be undermined if the restructuring leads to significant service disruptions or worsens the capacity of the affected ministries to perform their duties. In sectors like agriculture, where precision and long-term planning are crucial, the merger of UCDA into MAAIF could result in policy fragmentation or inefficiencies if not managed carefully.

Moreover, the financial implications of compensating workers and maintaining operations during the transition period could strain Uganda’s national budget, which is already under pressure with the Shs 52.7 trillion framework for 2024/25. Whether the fiscal savings from these mergers will outweigh the costs of retrenchments and operational disruptions remains uncertain.

A Controversial Reform with Mixed Outcomes

RAPEX policy has undeniably brought significant change, but its long-term success remains a matter of heated debate.

While the government’s intentions of reducing redundancy, cutting costs, and improving efficiency are clear, the mergers and dissolutions of key agencies have left a trail of uncertainty and concerns about their broader impact on the economy and public services.

In the coffee sector, where theUCDA merger with the Ministry of Agriculture is perhaps the most contentious, the future of Uganda’s coffee industry hangs in the balance.

For decades, UCDA has played a pivotal role in promoting coffee production, research, and export, generating substantial foreign exchange revenue. Critics, particularly from Buganda, worry that the integration of UCDA into MAAIF could lead to inefficiencies, given the agriculture ministry’s broader remit and its previous struggles with managing the coffee sector. The concerns voiced by Buganda, with Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga’s strong opposition, reflect a deeper cultural and economic unease within the region, where coffee farming is a livelihood for millions. As Uganda’s second-largest export commodity, coffee’s fate has sparked national conversations about the importance of maintaining sector-specific focus and expertise.

While the merging of UCDA into the Ministry of Agriculture is framed as a means to improve coordination and reduce administrative costs, the political and social tensions surrounding it highlight the complexities of such a large-scale restructuring.

The challenge lies in ensuring that the high standards of Uganda’s coffee exports, which are key to global competitiveness, are not compromised by broader bureaucratic shifts. The proposed transitional periods for the merger—three years for UCDA and NITA-U—may provide time for adjustments, but questions linger about whether this will be enough to safeguard the industry from possible disruptions.

Furthermore, the RAPEX policy’s potential financial benefits remain uncertain. Uganda’s government is investing heavily in compensating thousands of workers set to be laid off due to the mergers.

The Shs 79.3 billion earmarked for severance packages will add to the national budget deficit, raising concerns about the true cost of these changes. While the savings from merging agencies like Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and NITA-U are expected to reduce annual public administration costs, the immediate fiscal burden and the social implications of job losses cannot be ignored.

Critics warn that restructuring in areas such as the energy sector could undo decades of progress in improving service delivery and governance. Uganda’s energy sector, for example, was carefully unbundled in the 1990s to separate generation, transmission, and distribution, fostering competition and private sector participation.

A reversal of this model could diminish transparency and lead to inefficiencies.

Despite these concerns, some experts believe the RAPEX policy could be an opportunity to modernize Uganda’s public sector and create a leaner, more effective government.

As Uganda enters 2025, the success of the RAPEX policy will hinge on how well these transitions are managed and whether the government can strike a balance between cost-cutting measures and maintaining essential services. The future of key sectors like coffee, energy, and roads, as well as the livelihoods of thousands of civil servants, rests on the careful execution of these reforms.

Share this:

  • Share
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Tags: Agriculturecoffee exportsCoffee FarmersCoffee Industryeconomic growthPresident Museveniuganda coffeevalue addition

Related Posts

 Abbas urges U.S. to compel Israel to stop violations against Palestinians
News

 Abbas urges U.S. to compel Israel to stop violations against Palestinians

05/11/2022
0
304

Abbas urges U.S. to compel Israel to stop violations against Palestinians RAMALLAH, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas...

Read moreDetails
Equity ranked 4th strongest banking brand globally on brand strength, scoring 92.4 points out of 100

 Equity Bank Under Scrutiny for Alleged Role in UGX.3bn Fake Gold Scam

09/07/2024
614
Minister of Health Dr. Ruth Aceng and Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwiine pay their respects at the burial of Dr. Joshua Musinguzi, a champion in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Their presence honors his legacy and dedication to improving healthcare in Uganda.

 FULL LIST: Health Service Commission Shortlists Applicants for Key Roles

18/06/2025
994
Kabuleta and other opposition politicians have teamed up to put an end to Museveni's leadership

 Kabuleta, other opposition politicians team up to put an end to Museveni’s leadership

27/02/2024
495
Load More

Popular Articles

  • Check out the top schools with pupils who scored 6 in 4 aggregates in the 2024 PLE results, as released by UNEB

    PLE 2024 Results: Top Schools with 6 in 4 Aggregates

    4361 shares
    Share 1744 Tweet 1090
  • How to Renew Your National ID Online: NIRA Pre-Registration Portal 2025 Guide

    3911 shares
    Share 1564 Tweet 978
  • NIRA unveils high-tech National ID, mass enrollment set to begin

    2660 shares
    Share 1064 Tweet 665
  • FULL LIST: Ministry of Education, NCDC publish self-study workbooks amid COVID-19 lockdown

    3322 shares
    Share 1348 Tweet 823
  • How to Check PLE Results 2024 on Phone, Online

    1783 shares
    Share 713 Tweet 446
  • PLE 2024 Results: UNEB Clarifies on Release Date

    1650 shares
    Share 660 Tweet 413
  • MPs clear govt to cancel 2020 academic year

    2796 shares
    Share 1150 Tweet 686

Recent Articles

Makerere University announces the release of 2025/2026 self-sponsored undergraduate admission lists, detailing successful direct entry A-Level applicants

FULL LIST: Makerere University Releases 2025/2026 Self-Sponsored Admission Lists

02/07/2025
President Museveni assents to nine new bills, including key tax amendments, to boost Uganda's domestic revenue and fiscal discipline for the 2025/26 financial year.

Museveni approves nine new tax laws to bolster revenue

02/07/2025
Nile Breweries Head of Marketing Wangechi Gitahi with Solly Sebola, Chargé d'Affaires at the South African High Commission.

Nile Special, URU engage South African High Commission on Rugby events

01/07/2025
Rotary District 9213 Gov. Geoffrey Kitakule speaks at a press conference Tuesday at Protea Hotel Kampala.

New Rotary Governor Kitakule calls for collaboration as new year begins

01/07/2025

CNOOC Uganda, Chinese team hold medical camp in Kikuube District

01/07/2025
Uganda Breweries MD Andrew Kilonzo with his team with the award

Uganda Breweries Earns Prestige Trophy for 25 Years of Quality

01/07/2025
Discover how new pipeline deals, including EACOP and Russia-Congo agreements, are accelerating Africa's energy security and economic growth. Learn about these crucial infrastructure projects shaping the continent's future

New Pipeline Deals Fuel Africa’s Energy Future

01/07/2025

Recent CommentsRecent Comments

  • The Journey of Ibrahim Traoré on How President Ibrahim Traoré’s ambitious vision is driving Burkina Faso’s economic growth push
  • Ugandan Scientists Finalists For European Inventors Prize — Press Uganda on Ugandan scientists finalists for European inventors prize
  • Government Pumps UGX1 Trillion Into UDB To Drive Industrialization, SME Growth — Press Uganda on Government pumps UGX1 Trillion into UDB to drive Industrialization, SME growth
  • PS Ggoobi Tips On Building USD 500b Economy — Press Uganda on PS Ggoobi tips on building USD 500b economy
  • Museveni Meets German Envoy Matthias Schauer After Subversion Claims — Press Uganda on Museveni meets German envoy Matthias Schauer after subversion claims

UG Standard - Latest News

UG Standard, published via www.ugstandard.com isa publication of Sahel Media Solutions Ltd, a professional Digital/New Media company in Uganda info@ugstandard.com

Follow us on social media:

Latest News

  • FULL LIST: Makerere University Releases 2025/2026 Self-Sponsored Admission Lists
  • Museveni approves nine new tax laws to bolster revenue
  • Nile Special, URU engage South African High Commission on Rugby events
  • New Rotary Governor Kitakule calls for collaboration as new year begins
  • CNOOC Uganda, Chinese team hold medical camp in Kikuube District
  • Uganda Breweries Earns Prestige Trophy for 25 Years of Quality

OpED

Why de-register a Motor Vehicle in Uganda: and Consequences of Non-Compliance

Challenges of taxing law firms in Uganda

SHEILA ABOTH: Maternal healthcare must be everyone’s business because it takes a village

DARIUS NIWAHA KISHAHO: Securing Health After Retirement: Why a Post-Retirement Medical Cover is a Necessity, Not a Luxury

Open Letter to the Chief Justice: Your Silence on Corruption is Very Loud

© 2024 Ugstandard - Latest News by Digital/New Media company.

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Facebook
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • DIPLOMACY
    • COURT
    • AFRICA
    • BOOK REVIEW
    • INTERVIEW:
    • National
    • Parliament
    • World
    • Regional
  • Business
    • AGRIBUSINESS
    • OIL & GAS
    • REAL ESTATE
    • TECH
    • INNOVATIONS
    • TELCOM
  • OpED
  • EDUCATION
  • INVESTIGATION
    • NATIONAL ARCHIVE
    • SPECIAL REPORT
    • ANALYSIS
  • FEATURES
    • SOCIETY
    • Community
    • Pictorial
    • PROFILES
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • ENVIRONMENT
  • Tours & Travel
    • Hotel & Hospitality
  • Sports
  • About Us

© 2024 Ugstandard - Latest News by Digital/New Media company.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
%d