No more contracts for retired officers as govt looks to young professionals
“You cannot be getting a pension and a new salary at the same time, yet you are old and unable to deliver effectively,” Nakyobe warned.
Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe (left) chatting with one of the participating administrative officers during opening of the Fifth Administrative Officers’ Forum at Mbale city-based Mbale Resort Hotel on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. (Photos by Javier Silas Omagor)
By Javier Silas Omagor
Journalists @New Vision
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Retired government officers will no longer be awarded fresh contracts, New Vision Online has learnt.
Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe, while opening the Fifth Administrative Officers’ Forum at Mbale city-based Mbale Resort Hotel on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, said the Government will prioritise young professionals instead of recycling retirees.
“You cannot be getting a pension and a new salary at the same time, yet you are old and unable to deliver effectively,” she warned.
With some culprits using their exposure and connections to the Presidency to retain their offices, Nakyobe vowed to close in on those as well.
“I am going to write to the President because some letters come directly from him upon requests from people who do not want to leave office,” she said.
The four-day forum, running until August 29 under the theme: Fostering Public Confidence Through Transparent and Accountable Governance, has brought together administrators from across the country.
Defiant retirees
Nakyobe was responding to Uganda Association of Public Administrators chairperson Dr Emmanuel Mugunga's rallying call on defiant retirees.
In his passionate remarks, Mugunga urged Nakyobe to intervene against government workers who resist retirement and seek contract extensions, saying such practices deny others opportunities to progress.
Government administrators such as Dr Peter Adoko Obicci commended Nakyobe's move to suspend contracts for the retirees.
"This will help create room for junior officers who are out of universities or those already within the system, or else their careers stagnate," Adoko told New Vision Online.
Discipline and Innovation
Nakyobe challenged officers to embrace digital systems, uphold discipline, and restore trust in government service.
“You have spoiled the public service. Administrators must set the bar high. Do not seek to be loved at the expense of quality delivery,” she said.
“If you want to be loved, go home and be loved by your children,” she said, urging them to be firm, innovative, and ethical.
She also warned against absenteeism, poor performance and quick wealth, stressing that continuous professional growth and digitisation are crucial to efficiency.
Forum’s Vision
Mugunga said the forum provides “me-time” for officers to reflect on challenges and propose solutions.
“We envision a secure, well-governed, and developed nation driven by disciplined and motivated administrators,” he noted.
Hajji Yunus Kakande, Secretary in the Office of the President, urged administrators to serve diligently and resist corruption.
“Take a keen interest in government policies, laws, and regulations. Even junior officers may have important information that interacts with them,” he advised.
He cautioned against ghost worker schemes, describing corrupt administrators as “people told to deliver a cow but who instead bring only three legs.”
The forum, which has previously been hosted in Jinja, Kampala, Mbarara, and Gulu, is expected to map out critical skills for administrators while promoting accountability, motivation, and professional growth.