UNRA biggest casualty as ministry drafts Bill to disband 25 govt agencies

KAMPALA – The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will soon table a Bill in Parliament that seeks to formalize the merging and dissolving of 25 agencies after Cabinet on Monday okayed the proposal.

The review of the agencies’ work started in July 2017 following President Museveni’s directive to Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, who sought to reduce government expenditure.

And on Monday, Cabinet agreed to disband some of the agencies and merge others. Information minister Frank Tumwebaze confirmed the Cabinet decision but declined to give details, saying a press conference will be held on Tuesday to confirm the move.

However, sources inside Cabinet, who preferred anonymity, said the biggest casualty is the Uganda National Roads Authority, whose functions will return to the Works and Transport ministry. The Uganda Road Fund and Transport Licensing Board will also return to the Works and Transport ministry.

Others that have been disbanded are Uganda Registration Services Bureau, Uganda Electricity Generation Co Limited, Uganda Electricity Transmission Co Limited, Uganda Electricity Distribution Co Limited, and Rural Electrification Agency.

Others are Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, Departed Asians Properties Custodian Board, National Agricultural Advisory Services Organisation, Uganda Trypanosomiasis Control Council and Dairy Development Authority. Uganda Coffee Development Authority, Cotton Development Organisation, National Identification & Reg Authority NGO Bureau, National Information Technology Authority, Uganda Aids Commission and the National Drug Authority are also affected.

Uganda Blood Transfusion Services, Uganda Industrial Research Institute, Uganda National Council for Science & Technology and Uganda Land Commission have also been disbanded.

Only five have been retained and they are; Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda Communication Commission, Uganda National Bureau of Standards, Uganda Bureau of Statistics and National Medical Stores.

List

Dissolved agencies

1. Uganda National Roads Authority
2. Uganda Road Fund
3. Uganda Railways Corporation
4. Transport Licensing Board
5. Uganda Registration Services Bureau
6. Uganda Electricity Generation Co Limited
7. Uganda Electricity Transmission Co Limited
8. Uganda Electricity Distribution Co Limited
9. Rural Electrification Agency
10. Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board
11. Departed Asians Properties Custodian Board
12. National Agricultural Advisory Services Org
13. Uganda Trypanosomiasis Control Council
14. Dairy Development Authority
15. Uganda Coffee Development Authority
16. Cotton Development Organisation
17. National Identification & Reg Authority NGO Bureau
18. National Information Technology Authority
19. Uganda Aids Commission
20. National Drug Authority
21. Uganda Blood Transfusion Services
22. Uganda Industrial Research Institute
23. Uganda National Council for Scie & Tech
24. Uganda Land Commission

RETAINED

1. Kampala Capital City Authority
2. Uganda Communication Commission
3. Uganda National Bureau of Standards
4. Uganda Bureau of Statistics
5. National Medical Stores