Inside government's move to tie civil servants’ jobs to performance: New era of reshuffles

• Government plans to make “permanent and pensionable” jobs conditional on performance.

• Permanent Secretaries and heads of departments will face mandatory rotation every three years.

• Nakyobe says corruption in the public service is real and reforms are needed in recruitment.

• Ugandans on X welcomed accountability but raised concerns about pay, targets, and working conditions.

The Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe, has announced major reforms that will tie job security for public servants to performance, warning that government jobs will no longer be guaranteed without results.

Nakyobe made the remarks while addressing Local Government Human Resource managers and Secretaries to District Service Commissions (DSCs) at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi on April 28, 2026.

She said government will revise the standing orders on civil service employment so that the long-standing “permanent and pensionable” status becomes conditional on delivery.

“We are going to change the clause in the standing orders which says that you are permanent and pensionable. We are going to add on that you are permanent and pensionable if you deliver,” Nakyobe said.

She said the reforms are aimed at improving accountability, efficiency, and service delivery across government institutions.

Nakyobe warned that stricter monitoring, inspection, and evaluation will now be enforced.

“Some of you sit in your offices and swing your chairs and forget why you are there. This is no longer going to be business as usual,” she said.

As part of the changes, Permanent Secretaries and heads of departments will also face mandatory rotation, with their stay in one station limited to three years.

She said this would help break patronage networks and reduce institutional capture.

“The Permanent Secretaries and heads of departments have to be rotated regularly. This idea of saying ‘this is my accountant or procurement officer, don’t shift him or her’ is coming to an end,” she said.

Nakyobe warned that refusal to comply with transfers could lead to dismissal.

She also raised concerns about corruption in the public service and accused some human resource officials of enabling malpractice.

“Corruption is not only in the DSCs; it is also in the Public Service Commission. Corruption in the public service is not an allegation—it is a fact,” she said.

Nakyobe said the current system of appointing DSC members through district executive recommendations creates loyalty conflicts and weakens merit-based recruitment.

“I have recommended that we change the way members of DSCs are appointed as a way of fighting corruption,” she noted.

She urged HR managers to protect integrity during recruitment.

“You shape the quality, discipline, productivity, and integrity of the public service. If recruitment is compromised, the system is weakened,” she added.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, also warned against the sale of government jobs, calling it a major source of corruption.

“We want the population to come out and inform us of the corruption mayhem,” Kumumanya said.

He said a circular had already been issued requiring all job advertisements to clearly state that no payments should be made to secure employment.

Kumumanya, however, admitted that many corruption cases fail because victims fear reporting to agencies such as the Inspectorate of Government, the Criminal Investigations Directorate, and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

“People fear to report corruption cases, yet without evidence it becomes difficult to take action,” he said.

The announcement sparked debate on X, formerly Twitter, with some Ugandans supporting stricter accountability while others questioned whether government had created the right conditions for workers to perform.

Some users argued that civil servants should instead work on contracts that are renewed only after performance reviews. Others questioned whether clear targets, enough resources, and better working conditions were in place.

Some also pointed to salary disparities and poor logistical support, saying public servants often work through hardship and need stronger support if government expects better results.

The reforms mark one of the strongest signals yet that government wants stricter discipline in the public service, with future retention and career growth expected to depend more on measurable performance and ethical conduct.