Former Janet Museveni Assistant Alex Kakooza Takes Over OPM as PS in Museveni's New Reshuffle

President Yoweri Museveni made important changes in Uganda’s government, particularly within the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). The reshuffle was communicated by Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet.

Dunstan Balaba, who had been serving as the Permanent Secretary at OPM since taking over from the late Keith Muhakanizi, has been reassigned to a new role at the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity. Its reported that Balaba was known for his dedication to fostering teamwork and mentoring younger civil servants. However, he faced many challenges during his tenure, especially due to ongoing funding issues that made it difficult for him to meet the demands of his position.

Alex Okello Obwangmoi, who had been dismissed from his role as Accounting Officer because of unresolved accountability concerns, has now been appointed as the Principal Private Secretary for Vice President Jessica Alupo. Reports suggested that this change raised questions, particularly since Alupo is said to prefer working closely with her Deputy Principal Private Secretary, Mzee Kityamuweesi Musubire.

Taking over from Balaba at OPM is Alex Kakooza, who previously served as the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education until July 2021. It was noted that Kakooza brings a wealth of experience to his new role and had provided significant support to First Lady Janet Museveni during her early time in office. Many believe that his understanding of government operations and calm approach make him a suitable choice for this important position.

In addition to Kakooza’s promotion, reports indicated that Jane Mwesigwa, a former Commissioner of Human Resources at the Local Government Ministry, has come out of retirement to serve as the second Deputy Head of Public Service at OPM. This new position is expected to help ease some of Kakooza’s workload and enhance performance management across different ministries.

With Mwesigwa’s extensive experience in managing government performance, it is believed that Kakooza will have more support as he takes on his new duties. This restructuring reflects President Museveni’s intention to streamline operations within OPM while addressing past challenges related to funding and accountability.

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