President Yoweri Museveni is reportedly preparing a sweeping reshuffle within the public service, targeting several Permanent Secretaries as part of a broader effort to strengthen government performance and align implementation with the priorities of his newly appointed Cabinet.
According to senior government sources, the President has now turned his attention to the technocrats who oversee ministries and government agencies, with performance reviews expected to determine who remains in office, who is reassigned, and who could be entrusted with more strategic responsibilities.
The anticipated changes come shortly after the recent Cabinet appointments and are expected to reinforce the government’s drive to accelerate implementation of key national programmes. Among the priority areas are the Parish Development Model (PDM), wealth creation initiatives, industrialisation, export promotion, infrastructure development, digital transformation, and domestic revenue mobilisation.
Government insiders say President Museveni has consistently voiced concern over the gap between policy formulation and actual results on the ground. As a result, performance and accountability have emerged as central considerations in the planned redeployments.
“The President has already constituted his political leadership team. The next phase is ensuring that the technical leadership of government is fully aligned with the targets and ambitions of the new term,” a senior government official revealed.
Key Ministries Under Review
Sources indicate that several ministries are likely to experience significant leadership changes. Among the dockets reportedly targeted for restructuring are the Ministries of Agriculture, Defence, ICT, Local Government, Internal Affairs, and Lands.
Officials familiar with the ongoing assessments say Permanent Secretaries accused of poor performance, corruption, favoritism, or failure to effectively implement government programmes could be relieved of their duties.
“It will be a substantial shake-up because many of these Permanent Secretaries have not delivered the expected results over the past five years,” a source within the Presidency said. “Several are likely to leave office because their performance evaluations have been unsatisfactory.”
Rewarding Results and Expertise
The expected exercise will not only focus on removing underperforming officials but also on rewarding those who have demonstrated strong leadership and delivered measurable results. Sources suggest that high-performing Permanent Secretaries could be assigned to more demanding ministries, while others may be redeployed to sectors where their expertise can have a greater impact.
The review is said to cover critical sectors including health, education, agriculture, ICT, energy, transport, trade, and local government—areas that remain central to Uganda’s economic transformation agenda.
Driving Accountability in the New Term
As accounting officers and administrative heads of ministries, Permanent Secretaries play a pivotal role in translating Cabinet decisions into tangible outcomes. Their effectiveness often determines the pace and success of government programmes.
The planned reshuffle is widely viewed as part of a broader strategy to strengthen accountability, improve efficiency, and accelerate service delivery as the government embarks on its 2026–2031 development agenda.
If implemented, the changes could mark one of the most significant reorganisations of Uganda’s public service in recent years, signalling a stronger emphasis on results-driven governance and performance-based leadership across government institutions.
