Government has unveiled sweeping reforms targeting the public service, with a clear shift toward performance-based retention and stricter accountability measures for civil servants.
The changes were announced by Lucy Nakyobe, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, during a meeting with local government human resource managers and Secretaries to District Service Commissions at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi.
Nakyobe said the long standing notion of permanent and pensionable employment in the civil service is set to be revised, with job security now tied directly to delivery on assigned targets.
“We are going to adjust the standing orders so that being permanent and pensionable is conditional upon performance,” she said, warning that government will no longer tolerate inefficiency within its workforce.
She revealed that reforms will include strengthened systems for monitoring, inspection, and supervision, aimed at ensuring that public servants remain productive and accountable.
Nakyobe also announced plans to introduce mandatory rotations for Permanent Secretaries and heads of departments, limiting their tenure in specific roles to three years. The move, she said, is intended to break entrenched networks and reduce opportunities for manipulation within government institutions.
“The culture where individuals personalise offices and resist transfers is coming to an end,” she said, adding that those unwilling to comply risk dismissal.
The Head of Public Service further raised concerns about corruption within recruitment processes, noting that the integrity of the public service has been undermined by compromised hiring practices.
“Corruption in the public service is not speculation it is a reality we must confront,” she said, pointing to weaknesses in the current system, particularly within District Service Commissions, where political influence in appointments has affected professionalism.
She proposed reforms to the appointment process of commission members as part of broader efforts to restore credibility and transparency.
Also addressing the meeting, Ben Kumumanya warned human resource managers against engaging in corrupt practices, including the sale of government jobs.
“We have made it clear that no one should pay money to secure employment. Anyone demanding payment is engaging in corruption,” he said.
Kumumanya acknowledged that enforcing accountability remains a challenge due to limited reporting of corruption cases, as many victims fear repercussions or lack evidence to support their claims.
He called on the public to report corrupt practices to relevant authorities, including the Inspectorate of Government and the Criminal Investigations Directorate, emphasizing that public cooperation is key to cleaning up the system.
The reforms signal a broader government push to professionalize the public service, improve efficiency, and restore public trust in state institutions, with a renewed focus on merit, discipline, and
