Kibenge flags ‘slow’ public service as threat to national development

Aggrey David Kibenge, permanent secretary of the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, has expressed concern over what he described as the declining quality and efficiency of Uganda’s public service, despite ongoing reforms intended to improve service delivery.

Speaking during an engagement organised by the ministry of Public Service, Kibenge noted that while the private sector continues to flourish, the public sector remains largely bureaucratic and slow to respond to citizens’ needs.

He attributed much of this stagnation to the country’s failure to adequately invest in building the capacity of public servants. He argued that Uganda’s successive national development plans, now in their fourth iteration, risk failing to achieve their targets if the people entrusted to implement them are not empowered and properly prepared.

“It is one thing for the country to move from [National Development Plan] NDP I to NDP IV, but if the public officers at the centre of these reforms are not ready, we are wasting time,” he warned.

Kibenge, who has worked in various ministries and departments across government, also underscored the importance of upholding the values and professional ethos that define a competent public servant, what he called “the DNA of a public officer.”

He urged government institutions to prioritise continuous training, mentorship and performance management to ensure public servants are equipped to meet evolving challenges.

“As we put the public service into a higher gear, we must remember that the quality and ability of public servants are critical to delivering results. Without this, even the best-planned reforms will stall,” he added.

Uganda has, over the years, implemented a raft of reforms aimed at improving efficiency in the public service, including restructuring ministries, enhancing pay for key cadres, and introducing performance contracts for top managers.

However, critics argue that many of these measures have yet to translate into tangible improvements in service delivery at the grassroots level. In 2010, the ministry of Public Service opened the Civil Service College in Jinja as part of renewed efforts to strengthen the capacity of civil servants.

The college is expected to be a hub for equipping public officers with the skills, knowledge, and professional values needed to enhance human resource performance and deliver better services to citizens.

Wilson Muruli Mukasa, minister of Public Service, echoed Kibenge’s concerns, stressing that for the public service to function effectively, several critical factors must be addressed, chief among them the competence of the individuals recruited, as well as the manpower and tools required for them to deliver.

The discussion comes at a time when the ministry of Public Service has partnered with INSTIGLIO under the Government Empowerment Network (GEN) to, among other objectives, build the capacity of public servants and amplify the impact of government reforms.

So far, 34 senior officials from six ministries, including Public Service, Water and Environment, Education and Sports, Gender, Labour and Social Development, Office of the Prime Minister, and Finance, Planning and Economic Development, have been selected as GEN’s first Uganda champions.

The programme seeks to equip public servants with the knowledge, community, and capabilities needed to drive results. It combines continuous learning, capacity building, and collaboration on a dedicated platform.

The participants will undergo a six-month training that blends in-person and online components, including the use of AI-powered tools to reimagine and enhance service delivery.

However, Patrick Okello, a commissioner in the Office of the Prime Minister, cautioned that while capacity building is important, it is only part of the solution to the inefficiencies in Uganda’s public service. He emphasised that motivation and remuneration remain critical but largely overlooked factors that continue to undermine performance.

Okello observed that persistent disparities in salaries across different cadres and institutions have created a sense of inequity, while the lack of adequate incentives has left many civil servants feeling undervalued and demoralised.

“You cannot expect public servants to give their best when they feel they are not adequately rewarded for their work,” he said.

“Many employees are frustrated by the wide pay gaps between ministries and agencies, and by the slow pace of harmonising salaries. Without addressing this, even the best capacity-building efforts will not deliver the intended impact.”

Okello called for a more holistic approach to public service reform, one that combines skills development, fair and competitive pay, clear career progression paths, and recognition of performance, to restore morale and attract the best talent to government service.

The minister acknowledged this concern, admitting that poor motivation among public servants continues to be one of the key factors undermining effective service delivery. Muluri Mukasa noted that while the government has undertaken various structural reforms over the years, little has been done to address the emotional and financial well-being of the workforce.

Low pay, limited recognition of effort, and lack of opportunities for advancement, he said, have collectively contributed to a culture of complacency and low morale in the public sector. He added that strengthening the public service requires a comprehensive approach that not only equips staff with skills but also ensures that their needs and aspirations are met, creating a motivated and productive workforce capable of driving Uganda’s development agenda.

Salary enhancement has become a major source of tension in Uganda’s public service, following the government’s decision to significantly raise scientists’ pay ahead of other cadres, sparking frustration among arts and humanities staff who form the majority. The government has since pledged to gradually harmonise salaries, with a 25 per cent increment for other categories each financial year until pay disparities are addressed.

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