The Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Ms. Lucy Nakyobe has urged the administrative officers to be disciplined, stay focused and hardworking if they want to achieve their career goals.
“You should be disciplined and hardworking, with that you will reach the top. If you are a true administrator, you can fit anywhere they put you,” she said.
Ms. Nakyobe made the remarks today while officiating at the opening of a 4-day 5th Administrative Officers’ Forum held at Mbale Resort Hotel, Mbale City.
The workshop, running under the theme: “Fostering Public Confidence through transparent and accountable governance”, brought together Undersecretaries, Principal Assistant Secretaries, Senior Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries from the central government.
Ms. Nakyobe also advised the Administrative Officers to build stamina, uphold integrity and maintain professionalism in order to remain relevant in their field of work.
“You should be tough and don’t mistake being tough to being unkind. You should be tough but kind. You need to make decisions. I prefer someone who makes a wrong decision to someone who doesn’t make any decision at all,”she said.
The Head of Public Service further appealed to the Administrative Officers to be competent in office management, customer service, strong organizational skills, be able to attend to detail, multi-task, and be a good time manager. With this, she said they will be able to effectively fulfill your roles.
“You need to do proper books and records keeping and do timely reports to keep the work moving forward,” she said.
“Don’t spoil the service. We want service delivery in the government, that’s why you are called administrative officers.”
Ms. Nakyobe also advised the officers to embrace technology, explaining that digital tools are now transforming management by improving efficiency.
Additionally, Ms. Nakyobe thanked the Secretary Office of the President, Hajji Yunus Kakande and his team for organizing the workshop.
“I want to also thank Hajji Kakande for loving the Public Service. What you don’t know is that this man is also my advisor. Most of the things I do, it’s because of him. I thank him for being open and giving me all the support I want. That has enabled me to achieve what I have achieved so far and I don’t take that for granted,” she said.
She also noted that any senior officer retiring from service should not be given a contract, saying instead, their roles should be occupied by the young people still in service.
“I’m going to write to the President that those who go to him, he shouldn’t accept,” she said.
On his part, Hajji Kakande thanked Ms. Nakyobe for her efforts in saving the role of the Administrative Officers, explaining that there was a plan to deprive the Undersecretaries of their roles and be extended to directors.
“We thank you for the landmark leadership in 2022 where it was decided that the Undersecretaries should be in charge of administration, planning and finance,” he said.
“Administrative cadres now at least have some breathing space. I implore you don’t allow the coming back of such issues Madam. The issue of the Director doesn’t have any meaning as far as administration is concerned,” he said.
Hajji Kakande also thanked Ms. Nakyobe for the government’s consideration of the Undersecretaries and Commissioners whose salaries were enhanced.
“With this enhancement of salary, if the person has a child at the university, he will be able to pay tuition for him/her and also live a decent life. The enhanced pension can sustain you in your retirement,”he said.
However, Hajji Kakande cautioned the officers against misusing their offices.
“You are the engine of your respective ministries and you have all the powers but don’t misuse it. Be logical when dealing with your colleagues. You must be able to fulfill your tasks diligently and on time because you don’t have any reason why you shouldn’t be hardworking,” he advised.
Hajji Kakande also challenged all Under Secretaries and senior administrators to ensure that no officer is left behind—by empowering their teams through timely briefings, information sharing and capacity building.
“We must build a pipeline of capable administrators. I therefore urge you to actively mentor the officers below you. Share knowledge, guide them, and model the professionalism we expect.”
He further emphasized discipline among the officers, saying that it’s non-negotiable.
“You must strictly adhere to the Public Service Standing Orders and the Ethical code of conduct. Any deviation not only undermines your credibility but brings disrepute to the cadre. You must always uphold the highest standards of professionalism. The fight against corruption starts with you. I caution you against any corruption tendencies—be it in procurement, financial management, or use of government assets. Administrators must be champions of accountability as well ensuring transparency in all processes under their supervision,” he said.
The Chairperson of the Public Administration Association of Uganda, Dr. . Emmanuel Freddie Mugunga revealed that they have deliberately kept the forum rotational for learning and exposure purposes.
“We thank the Office of the Office for the continued budgetary support,” he said.
Dr. . Mugunga also pledged on behalf of the Administrative Officers to serve with honesty and transparency for effective service delivery.
Meanwhile, the overall goal of the Forum remains to tackle and discuss the challenges affecting the Administrative Cadre in Central Government, while also providing a platform to share experiences and learn from best practices.
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