Mitala Named New Public Service Head

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has appointed Mr. John Mitala, the new Head of the Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, writes Yunusu Abbey.“Hilda Musubira, who has been Museveni’s Principal Private Secretary (PPS), has been named Mitala’s deputy and will double as the Secretary to Administrative Reform,” State House sources said yesterday.“Christine Guwatudde, who has been Permanent Secretary (PS) in the ethics and integrity ministry, is the new PPS to the President,” a source said. “The President has already signed the instruments appointing Mr.Mitala,his deputy(Musubira) and Guwatudde the PPS.He(Museveni)endorsed the instruments on June 3,” the source said.Musubira has been Museveni’s PPS for several years. She took over from Eng. Bill Kabanda, now PS lands, water and environment ministry. But Joan Magezi the deputy PPS retains her post. Until recently, Mitala has been the deputy head Public Service/Secretary Administrative Reform with offices in Wandegeya.He takes over from Florence Mugasha who has been appointed to the prestigious position of Deputy Secretary General of the 54-member Commonwealth.The appointees were unavailable for comment yesterday. The Commonwealth Secretariat announced Mugasha’s appointment in a March 28 statement from London. Mugasha, 53, sat for the interview in London on March 18.The statement said Mugasha would succeed Indian-born Mr. Krishnan Srinivasan, and would become the second woman to hold the post.Ends