The government has alleviated fears of public servants who are currently weary of losing their jobs to the ongoing government rationalization of agencies, stating that a majority will be retained in the government system.

The Information Communication Technology Minister, Dr. Cris Baryomunsi, confirmed the development on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, on local radio and said that the government is going to retain workers of agencies that are going to merge, and those who will not be accommodated will be paid off.

Baryomunsi noted that the government agreed that all weakened positions in the government system will be filled and those affected by the exercise be given a first priority in local government of all districts.

“Emerging of these agencies is a shift in administration, not retrenching of workers,” he said.

Allen Kakama, commissioner of management services at the Ministry of Public Service, said that Ugx 29.1 billion was set aside to cater for the first batch of employees from 21 agencies.

“We calculated very well to see how many employees may not be absorbed and how much to pay them, because already a sum of Ugx 73.6 billion for pensions, gratuities, and severance packages was released,” she said.

She added that the second phase of rationalization will take place in December 2024, where those employees who do not qualify for pensions and gratuities will receive severance packages to help them settle.

The government aims at catering to as many workers as possible, thus setting aside money to support this exercise to allow workers to settle in well.