Professor Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a Makerere University lecturer at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, has criticised the government’s recent decision to rationalise government agencies, citing its poor implementation strategies for these policies. He added that Uganda has always come up with very good policies, but the biggest problem is implementation.

He made these remarks on February 5, 2024, in Kampala, during a discussion on one of the national televisions concerning the recent decision of the government to rationalise its agencies, under the topic “Will the rationalisation of government agencies deliver greater efficiency in public administration?”

He noted that, with rationalisation, cost-cutting is secondary; the primary need is efficiency and effectiveness, which he called horizontal decentralisation from ministries to agencies. He noted that rationalisation is going to clog decision-making and make it hierarchical.

“That is why some people have made fun of our policies—that policies are made in Uganda, perfected in Kenya, and implemented in Rwanda,” Prof. Ndebesa said.

Ndebesa further noted that there is a need to acknowledge that it’s not the first time rationalisation has ever been exercised; he added that, 30 years ago, under the influence of the foreign funders (the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund-IMF), rationalisation was in existence but implementation failed.

“If the main purpose of rationalisation is cost-cutting, what about the many districts that have been created?” Prof. Ndebesa queried.

According to Eddie Kwezira, the MP for Bukimbiri county in Kisoro district, the rationalisation being talked about has not been explained well because, in corporate businesses, one doesn’t have to rationalise since rationalisation is cutting costs to improve services.

“With the rationalisation of government agencies, people are asking, Are you talking about saving Ugx 1 trillion? How much is lost in corruption? About Ugx 10 trillion,” Kwezira said.

During the NRM caucus meeting at State House Entebbe last week, a unanimous resolution was passed in favour of supporting rationalisation of government agencies and public expenditure through the enactment of legislation in parliament. And as part of rationalisation, 33 agencies will be moved into their respective mother ministries, then 35 will be consolidated and merged into 19 entities, and 80 will remain semi-autonomous.