President Yoweri Museveni has retired 11 Permanent Secretaries from public service following the appointment of new accounting officers in a fresh shake-up of Uganda’s public administration.
A retirement notice bearing the President’s signature lists 11 senior government officials whose services have been brought to an end. The President invokes Articles 99 and 172(1)(a) of the 1995 Constitution as the legal basis for the decision.
The move comes amid changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service, with the appointment of new Permanent Secretaries expected to usher in a new administrative team across government ministries and departments.
Eleven officials named in retirement notice
The officials listed in the presidential notice are:
- Hon. Adolf Mwesige Kasaija
- Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama
- Dr Rose Nassali Lukwago
- Alex B. Okello
- Dorcus W. Okalany
- Bageya Waiswa
- Edith Nsaja Mwanje
- Alfred O. Okidi
- Dr John Geoffrey Mbabazi
- Rose N. Kafeero
- Pius Bigirimana
The development follows Museveni’s November 5, 2026 letter announcing 13 new Permanent Secretary appointments across government institutions. The appointments were made public on November 8 by the Presidential Press Unit.
New appointments trigger major changes across government
Among the new appointments announced by the President are:
- Emmanuel Freddie Mugunga – Office of the Prime Minister.
- Maureen Kasande – Inspectorate of Government.
- Sheeba Kyobutungi Rujoki – Office of the President (Science, Technology and Innovation).
- Kenneth Akiri – Ministry of Water and Environment.
- Barbara Namugambe – Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
- Charles Ssentongo – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Prof. Stephen Akandwanaho – Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
- Mark Sseremba – Ministry of Public Service.
- Eng. Flavia Guto Bwire – Ministry of Works and Transport.
- Edith Butuuro – Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.
- Aggrey Wunyi – Ministry of East African Community Affairs.
- Betty Mutesa Cwinya-ai – Public Service Commission.
- Edward Sengonzi Damulira – Clerk to Parliament.
The President directed the Public Service Commission to assess the suitability of the designated officials and advise him accordingly.
The changes affect several strategic government institutions, including Defence, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Works and Transport, Water and Environment, ICT and Public Service.
Among the notable changes, Edith Butuuro is set to take over from Rosette Byengoma at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, while Eng. Flavia Guto Bwire replaces Bageya Waiswa at Works and Transport.
Emmanuel Freddie Mugunga has been designated to replace Alex Kakooza at the Office of the Prime Minister, while Barbara Namugambe takes over from Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama at the Agriculture Ministry.
Other changes include Kenneth Akiri replacing Alfred Okot Okidi at Water and Environment and Charles Ssentongo taking over from Ambassador Patrick Mugoya at Foreign Affairs. newvision.co.ug+1
Permanent Secretaries at the centre of government operations
Permanent Secretaries occupy some of the most influential administrative positions in Uganda’s public service.
They serve as accounting officers in their respective ministries and are responsible for overseeing government expenditure, supervising administrative operations, coordinating policy implementation and ensuring that public resources are managed in accordance with the law.
Their positions place them at the centre of government programme implementation, making changes in the senior civil service leadership significant for the functioning of ministries and public institutions.
The latest reshuffle therefore represents a substantial change in the administrative leadership of government, with several experienced officials making way for a new team.
What remains unclear
The retirement notice does not provide individual reasons for the retirement of the 11 officials or explain whether all the departures are linked to the expiry of their contracts.
Several long-serving officials whose contracts had expired were among those affected by the changes. newvision.co.ug
It is also important to distinguish the 11 names on the retirement notice from other outgoing officials mentioned in media reports as being replaced in the reshuffle. The two lists are not identical.
The President’s latest decisions were made under the constitutional framework governing appointments and retirement in Uganda’s public service.
The changes now place a new group of senior officials in line to take up responsibilities across government, subject to the prescribed assessment process.
