The lobbyists are up in arms
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The Uganda Government has intensified its public sector rationalisation programme, announcing plans to merge eight more agencies into existing ministries and departments as part of a broader effort to eliminate duplication, reduce public expenditure and improve service delivery.
The latest phase of reforms follows the completion of earlier mergers under the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) programme, which has already seen several agencies dissolved or absorbed into parent ministries.
According to government officials, the decision is driven by the need to streamline public administration, improve efficiency and ensure taxpayers receive better value for money.
Among the agencies earmarked for merger are the Appeals Tribunal under the Ministry of Public Service, the Electricity Disputes Tribunal, the Leadership Code Tribunal and the Attorneys’ Disciplinary Committee. Once the necessary legal amendments are completed, their functions will be transferred to existing institutions instead of operating as independent agencies.
The move also affects the Non-Performing Assets Trust, the Industrial Court and the Department of Custodian Boards of Trustees, whose responsibilities will be transferred to the Ministry of Finance and other relevant institutions.
Government says the reforms are based on lessons learnt from the first phase of RAPEX, which sought to reduce the size of government without affecting essential public services.
Eliminating duplication
Officials argue that many of the agencies perform functions that can be effectively handled by ministries, thereby creating unnecessary administrative costs.
The RAPEX programme, first approved by Cabinet in 2018, was designed to streamline ministries, departments and agencies, eliminate overlapping mandates, improve service delivery and reduce administrative expenditure.
The first phase focused on eliminating agencies whose mandates duplicated work already being performed elsewhere in government.
Authorities say maintaining separate institutions with similar responsibilities has proved expensive and inefficient, especially at a time when government is under increasing pressure to maximise limited public resources.
The rationalisation programme is therefore intended to create a leaner public sector while ensuring citizens continue receiving essential services.
Savings from earlier mergers
Government says the first phase has already generated significant savings.
Since the implementation of the reforms, more than 40 government agencies have either been merged into ministries or dissolved altogether.
The restructuring has reportedly reduced operational costs by eliminating duplicate boards, accounting officers, administrative structures, office accommodation and support services.
The savings are expected to be redirected towards priority sectors such as education, health, agriculture and infrastructure.
Officials say the objective is not merely to cut costs but also to improve coordination and accountability across government.
Agencies already dissolved
Several agencies have already been dissolved under the first phase of RAPEX.
These include the Higher Education Students Financing Board, the Uganda National Roads Authority, the National Agricultural Advisory Services, the Cotton Development Organisation and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority.
Their responsibilities have been transferred to parent ministries in a move government says has strengthened policy coordination while reducing administrative overheads.
According to officials, some of these agencies had become expensive to maintain despite carrying out functions that could be effectively supervised by ministries.
Minimal impact on workers
Government maintains that rationalisation is not intended to trigger widespread job losses.
Officials say approximately 80 percent of the workforce from the affected agencies has been retained within the public service.
According to public service authorities, about 2,700 employees were affected by the restructuring, with roughly 60 percent remaining in government employment.
Where specialised technical expertise was required, employees were absorbed into ministries to ensure continuity of service delivery.
Government says this approach has helped preserve institutional memory while avoiding disruption to critical public services.
Focus on efficient service delivery
Public Service officials argue that the ultimate goal is to improve the quality of services offered to Ugandans.
They say merging agencies into ministries eliminates bureaucratic delays, shortens decision-making processes and reduces conflicts arising from overlapping mandates.
Officials also believe stronger coordination within ministries will improve policy implementation and make it easier for government to monitor performance.
Rather than having multiple institutions pursuing similar objectives, ministries will now provide unified leadership and clearer accountability.
Legal reforms underway
The mergers will only take effect after Parliament amends the laws establishing the affected agencies.
Government says some institutions were created through Acts of Parliament and therefore cannot simply be dissolved through administrative decisions.
Relevant amendment Bills are expected to be tabled before Parliament to provide the legal framework required to transfer staff, assets, liabilities and functions to parent ministries.
Officials insist that following the legal process will ensure continuity while avoiding administrative confusion.
New phase targets additional agencies
Government has also identified another eight agencies for restructuring under the 2025/26 financial year.
The agencies include the National Council for Higher Education, the National Curriculum Development Centre and the Directorate of Industrial Training.
Officials say the three institutions perform complementary functions within the education sector and can therefore operate more effectively under a unified framework.
Government believes merging them will improve coordination in curriculum development, quality assurance, examinations and skills training.
Transport sector reforms
The reforms will also affect the transport sector. Government plans to consolidate transport licensing, regulation and safety functions to eliminate duplication.
Officials argue that a single institution will provide more consistent regulation while reducing operational costs. The proposal is expected to improve coordination in licensing, vehicle inspection and transport safety enforcement.
Analysts support the reforms
Policy analysts have welcomed the continued rationalisation programme, saying government has too many agencies performing similar work.
Julus Mukunda, Executive Director of the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group, said many agencies were established without properly considering whether their functions already existed elsewhere in government.
“We have all these tribunals doing related work. We just need one adequate office where all these functions can be done. The only worry I have is that hundreds more will lose jobs, just like it has happened in the earlier phase,” Mukunda said.
He argued that the Appeals Tribunal has been sitting on cases worth small amounts and that the resources required to maintain such institutions are disproportionate to the work handled.
According to Mukunda, merging agencies will reduce administrative costs while enabling government to redirect scarce resources towards service delivery.
However, he cautioned that efficiency should not come at the expense of specialised institutions that still perform unique technical functions.
He recommended that government carefully evaluate each agency before making final decisions to ensure critical services are not weakened.
Continuing reforms
Government says the rationalisation programme remains a key component of broader public sector reforms aimed at building a more efficient, accountable and financially sustainable state.
Officials maintain that agencies will only continue to exist where there is a clear justification for independent operations.
Where duplication exists, functions will be integrated into ministries to reduce costs, strengthen supervision and improve coordination.
As the next phase begins, government hopes the mergers will create a leaner public service capable of delivering faster, more efficient and better coordinated services while freeing up billions of shillings for national development priorities.
