Former UNRA, URF staff invited to reapply for jobs

By Isaac Nuwagaba

KAMPALA - Former employees of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and the Uganda Road Fund (URF), who lost their jobs during the government’s rationalisation of agencies, now have a chance to reclaim their positions.

The Public Service Commission secretary, Dr John Geoffrey Mbabazi, has invited fresh applications for vacant posts under the Ministry of Works and Transport, urging affected staff to reapply.

New application process

“Following additional submissions and consultations with the head of Public Service, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Public Service, and the management of former UNRA, URF, and other stakeholders, all applicants who had previously submitted applications for affected positions must reapply for a maximum of two positions,” Mbabazi stated.

The recruitment is limited to technical positions, with common cadre positions unaffected. Applications must be submitted by Monday, 24 February 2024.

Mbabazi warned that any applicant found to have submitted forged academic documents would face legal consequences and be barred from public service.

Impact of Rationalisation

The dissolution of UNRA and URF, part of the government’s Rationalisation of Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) policy, left over 1,500 staff—ranging from permanent employees to senior management—jobless.

To enhance their chances of reemployment, the recruitment process is restricted to former staff who were officially appointed by the boards of the affected agencies and on the June 2024 payroll.

Earlier, the Ministry of Works and Transport had pledged to retain essential UNRA and URF staff on three-month local contracts, though the extent of this commitment remains uncertain.

The ministry has now integrated UNRA functions under the Department of National Roads and URF functions under the Department of Road Fund Management.

A ministry statement confirmed that “all staff members handling essential and critical services like weighbridge operations, ferry services, and ongoing projects will be retained on local contracts for three months.”

Minister’s assurance

Minister of Works and Transport Gen. Katumba Wamala revealed that the ministry had submitted a list of required staff to the Public Service Commission for validation.

“These posts are to be filled only by staff who have been working with UNRA and URF,” he affirmed.

The RAPEX policy aims to merge and streamline government agencies to eliminate redundancy, cut costs, and improve efficiency. President Yoweri Museveni has been vocal about reducing the number of semi-autonomous agencies, calling them “parasitic” and a drain on national resources.

A welcome opportunity

Former executive director of the Uganda Road Fund, Dr Eng. Andrew Naimanye, welcomed the move, describing it as a valuable opportunity for affected staff.

“This is good news, and I think many of our former staff will apply for the advertised jobs to keep serving in their respective portfolios or even new ones,” he said.

On 18 December 2024, Gloria Asio Omaswa, principal private secretary to the President, announced that President Museveni had assented to the Uganda National Roads Authority (Repeal) Act, 2024, along with eight other RAPEX-related laws, sealing the fate of UNRA as an independent entity.