President’s Office seeks to control deployment, transfer of CAOs

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Office of the President is considering assuming the role of deploying and transferring Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) as part of the efforts to enhance service delivery in the country. Hajji Yunusu Kakande, Secretary in the Office of the President, announced the proposed restructuring within the public service that would place all CAOs under direct supervision and control of the Office of the President.

Speaking at the opening of the 3rd Administrative Officers Forum symposium in Masaka City, Hajj Kakende highlighted the limitations of the current arrangement where CAOs report to the Ministries of Local Government and Public Service. He believes this setup hampers their performance and obstructs the effective implementation of the President’s manifesto programs.

The proposed restructuring aims to establish a direct link between the Office of the President and administrative cadres in local governments, fostering collaboration and improving service delivery at all levels.

According to Kakande, engagements with various technical departments of the government are already underway regarding the proposal, which will subsequently be presented to the cabinet for consideration. The plan seeks to create a unified command unit for all administrative cadres across government departments, enabling timely information sharing and joint problem-solving.

The current arrangement, where some districts operate independently, will be replaced with a more coordinated approach. Critics have raised concerns about the Office of the President’s consolidation of numerous government agencies, citing duplication of responsibilities and wastage of public resources. However, Hajji Kakande remains determined to enhance collaboration and streamline administrative functions for improved efficiency.

The Presidency Minister Milly Babalanda cautioned senior public administrators against corruption tendencies and warned of stringent actions against any culprits. She urged civil servants to work towards rebuilding public trust and changing negative perceptions associated with various government departments and institutions.

Emmanuel Mugunga, the Undersecretary at the Ministry of Water and Environment, representing the Administrative Officers, challenging the Minister to ensure the full implementation of the President’s decision to entrust Undersecretaries with departmental leadership roles and direct supervisory functions within their respective ministries. Undersecretaries claim that some non-career public administrators, particularly certain egoistic Permanent Secretaries, obstruct their operations.

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