Museveni shakes up Permanent Secretaries, fires Education PS Lomalo, appoints new trade PS, retains 8 loyalists

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President Yoweri Museveni has made significant changes to his team of Permanent Secretaries, firing Education PS Ketty Lamaro and appointing Lynette Bagonza as the new PS for the Ministry of Trade.

Bagonza, who has served as Under Secretary for 14 years, replaces Geraldine Ssali who was recently charged in the Anti-Corruption Court. Ssali’s departure created a vacancy that needed to be filled, and Bagonza’s experience made her a strong candidate for the role.

In addition to the changes, President Museveni has reappointed eight other Permanent Secretaries for another three years. Gen David Kasura will continue to serve as PS for the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, while Gen Joseph Musanyufu will remain PS for the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Jane Barekye will also continue as State House Comptroller, and Amina Zawedde will remain PS for the Ministry of ICT.

Irene Batebe will continue to serve as PS for the Ministry of Energy, and Ramathan Goobi will remain PS for the Ministry of Finance. Adolf Mwesige has also been reappointed as Clerk to Parliament, a move that has raised some eyebrows given the recent corruption scandals that have rocked the institution.

The changes come after the Public Service Commission assessed the performance of the PSs over the past three years and recommended their reappointment. However, President Museveni opted to drop Ketty Lamaro, citing confidential information about her conduct.

Lamaro’s departure is seen as a significant move, given the importance of the Education Ministry in implementing the government’s education policies. Her replacement has not been named, and it remains to be seen who will take over the role.

The reappointments and new appointments are seen as a move to strengthen the government’s team ahead of the next election cycle. With the changes, President Museveni has signaled his intention to retain a strong team to implement his policies and programs.