By Spy Uganda
A wave of accountability is sweeping through government agencies as the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe, takes a tough stance against alleged abuse of authority in the ongoing Rationalisation of Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) exercise.
Nakyobe has summoned all executive directors, commissioners, and chief executives from agencies affected by the merger for a high-level meeting on Thursday this week, following mounting reports of corruption, nepotism, and deliberate obstruction of the rationalisation process.
According to sources close to the Office of the Head of Public Service, Nakyobe is furious after receiving multiple whistleblower reports implicating some agency bosses in ring-fencing key positions for friends, girlfriends, and relatives, while unfairly sidelining qualified staff.
“She has detailed intelligence reports on each MDA head involved in the process. Some have been accused of frustrating the placement of genuine employees and using the merger to settle personal scores,” one source revealed.
The meeting is expected to demand full accountability for vacant positions, staffing gaps, and unabsorbed employees affected by the mergers. Nakyobe reportedly intends to personally review explanations from each agency head and commissioner, as concerns grow that the spirit of the rationalisation — efficiency and cost-saving — is being undermined by self-interest and favoritism.
The RAPEX initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Public Service, aims to eliminate duplication of roles, consolidate overlapping functions, and save government an estimated Shs1 trillion annually in wages and office rent. So far, over 3,000 staff have been affected by the restructuring, with government promising to absorb or compensate them under a Shs73.6 billion payout package.
Several agencies have already been merged, including the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, and the National Libraries of Uganda with the Ministry of Education and Sports. Others such as the National Population Council and National Physical Planning Board have been integrated into the National Planning Authority, while the National NGO Bureau returned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Meanwhile, the rationalisation has also produced new bodies, such as the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotions Authority, which is already operational but still lacks a board of directors.
Of the 60 agencies earmarked for merger, the Ministry of Public Service confirms that 24 have been completed, with 23 relevant Acts of Parliament passed and 21 already assented to by the President.
As the Thursday meeting looms, insiders say the tone will be no-nonsense. Nakyobe, known for her disciplined administrative approach, is reportedly determined to restore integrity and order to a process many now fear is being derailed by hidden interests.
“This is not a witch-hunt,” a senior official close to her office emphasized. “It’s about ensuring that the merger saves money, strengthens service delivery, and ends the culture of impunity that has for long weakened the civil service.”
