By Mulengera Reporters
Members of Parliament have expressed concern over the growing frustration among former employees of rationalised government agencies who are losing hope of being absorbed into their respective ministries following the closure of their workplaces.
Parliament passed the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) Bills last year, leading to the dissolution of key agencies such as the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS), and the Uganda Road Fund, among others. At the time, the government assured that affected staff would either be retained or compensated if their roles were entirely phased out.
However, MPs are now concerned that many of these employees, expected to be integrated into the respective ministries where their agencies were merged, remain unemployed months later.
Raising a matter of national importance, Maruzi North MP Nelson Okello expressed fears that the impending second closure of Karuma Bridge would worsen travel difficulties for northern Uganda, as the Masindi Port ferry services remain non-operational. The ferry operators, formerly UNRA employees, have neither been paid nor re-employed in the Public Service.
“The Ministry of Public Service advertised positions for these ferry operators, yet they have not been given the jobs. The Ministry should immediately process their payments. They have only received a salary of UGX 240,000 per month, and even then, they have not been paid for January and February. The Minister of Public Service should explain why they have not been shortlisted for these roles,” Okello stated.
His concerns prompted a reaction from Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, who tasked Public Service Minister Wilson Muruli Mukasa with providing clarity on the fate of former employees affected by RAPEX. Tayebwa noted that many affected workers had reached out to him in distress.
“This weekend, my phone was flooded with messages from ferry workers. The RAPEX framework did not fully consider technical issues. Many employees who were promised absorption into ministries are now stranded. People are looking at Parliament as the culprit,” Tayebwa remarked.
In response, Minister Muruli explained that the government is still in a transitional phase, transferring assets, funds, and staff from the dissolved agencies to their respective ministries. He specifically addressed concerns about ferry operators, stating that they are being considered for absorption into the Ministry of Works and Transport as scientists, which requires additional funding for salary enhancements.
“Only recently was most of the necessary funding transferred to the relevant votes. During discussions, the RAPEX committee agreed that ferry operators and district road maintenance staff should be classified as scientists, meaning the U8 salary scale does not apply to them. We are in discussions with the Ministry of Finance to allocate savings towards increasing their salaries,” Muruli stated.
Bukanga County MP Nathan Byanyima criticized the government’s handling of RAPEX, arguing that it has demoralized many Ugandans. He highlighted the delayed compensation for retrenched staff and the slow absorption of retained workers as major issues.
“Ugandans deserve to be treated with dignity. Minister Muruli Mukasa, a senior NRM cadre, should have ensured a seamless transition. The delays in road maintenance are a prime example of the consequences. Those who were promised compensation should have already received it, while those being retained should have been reassigned by now. We have no answers for our people and appear incompetent in their eyes,” Byanyima lamented.
Erute South MP Jonathan Odur suggested that the government should suspend the implementation of RAPEX if it is not prepared to handle the transition effectively. He argued that Parliament had intended to give the government sufficient time to dissolve and merge agencies responsibly.
“I initially believed the government operated with absolute seriousness, but my experience here has taught me otherwise. It is disheartening to see former UNRA employees’ jobs being advertised but not filled. This raises serious governance concerns,” Odur said.
He further proposed the establishment of a select committee to investigate RAPEX’s implementation and report to Parliament for further debate.
However, Deputy Speaker Tayebwa ruled out the need for a select committee, instead urging the government to provide a comprehensive statement on RAPEX’s implementation, particularly regarding recruitment and challenges faced.
“Receiving calls and messages from affected workers is painful. Many of these individuals performed their duties diligently, yet they have been sidelined. A select committee would take too much time. Instead, I propose that the Minister presents a detailed statement on RAPEX’s implementation, including recruitment and other challenges. Some of these issues are budgetary, and we are willing to support necessary adjustments,” Tayebwa advised.
Minister Muruli promised to return with an update and assured legislators that the government is working to address the challenges encountered in RAPEX’s implementation-Parliament Watch. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
