Redeploy staff affected by rationalization, Speaker tells public service

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has made a case for the placement of staff affected by the ongoing rationalisation of government agencies.

In a meeting with officials from the Public Service Commission (PSC) led by the chairperson, Agnes Kabogoza-Musoke, Speaker Among said leaving the affected officials jobless and without compensation will affect them and their dependants.

“People who are going to lose their jobs due to rationalisation should be handled properly to avoid any chaos in the economy; we want you to ensure that the persons being rationalised are absorbed…they should not be left out without being absorbed or compensated,” she said.

The PSC met the Speaker in the presence of the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, Commissioner of Parliament Hon. Solomon Silwany, and the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige Kasaija.

Government has brought a multitude of amendments to laws, repealing sections which create government agencies, rerouting most of their functions to their line ministries.

This exercise has seen hundreds pushed out of jobs, which is why Speaker Among wants them either reabsorbed into the mainstream public service or adequately compensated.

The commission presented their annual report for Financial Year 2023/2024 to the Speaker wherein Kabogoza-Musoke asked for a budget increment to address the commission’s growing needs.

“It is my humble request to you to support the increase of the commission’s budget effective Financial Year 2025/26 from the current Shs12.1 billion to at least Shs21.8 billion to enable the commission carry out its supervisory role, roll out competence-based recruitment, review job descriptions across government, and verify academic qualifications of all applicants joining and officers within public service,” she said.

The chairperson reported that the commission concluded the appointment, confirmation in appointment, promotion and disciplinary control totalling to 1,730 cases in Financial Year 2023/2024, compared to 4,134 cases in Financial Year 2022/2023.

She explained that the upsurge in 2022/2023 cases was caused by COVID-19 backlog, which the commission was clearing.

The Speaker asked the PSC to report and advertise all vacancies across government for competitive filling by Ugandans.