The government is planning to merge or absorb 60 government agencies into ministries and other institutions as part of a major restructuring exercise aimed at reducing public expenditure, eliminating duplication of roles and improving service delivery.
Minister of ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba announced the latest figures on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
Lumumba said the government had reviewed 157 agencies under the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) programme. Of these, 60 are earmarked for mainstreaming or merging, while 97 will be retained.
The exercise means some government institutions will lose their independent status, with their responsibilities transferred to parent ministries or combined with those of other agencies.
The affected institutions include commissions, authorities, government companies and other public bodies that have been operating as separate entities.
Which agencies will be absorbed into ministries?
According to details presented by the Ministry of Public Service to Parliament in March 2026, five institutions were identified for mainstreaming into the mainstream public service.
They are:
Non-Performing Assets Recovery Trust: The institution established to recover assets from non-performing loans will lose its independent status, with its responsibilities transferred to the relevant government structures.
Non-Performing Assets Recovery Tribunal: Its functions will also be incorporated into the mainstream public service as part of the restructuring of institutions dealing with the recovery of non-performing assets.
Departed Asians’ Property Custodian Board: The institution responsible for managing properties left behind by Asians who were expelled from Uganda in 1972 will be absorbed into the mainstream government structure.
Privatisation Unit: The unit responsible for supporting the government’s privatisation programme will also be mainstreamed, with its functions transferred to the relevant government structures.
National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U): The authority responsible for coordinating and promoting the use of information technology across government will lose its independent agency status, with its responsibilities integrated into the mainstream public service. It will be returned to the Ministry of Communication and ICT
Which agencies are set to merge?
The Ministry of Public Service also identified seven institutions for merger, including three government companies operating in the electricity sector.
They are:
Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC): The constitutional body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights is among the institutions earmarked for restructuring through a merger.
Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC): The commission, which addresses discrimination and promotes equal opportunities for all people, is also expected to be merged. Earlier government proposals indicated that its functions would be transferred to the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
Uganda Law Reform Commission: The institution responsible for reviewing laws and recommending legal reforms is among the bodies identified for merger.
Electricity Appeals Tribunal: The tribunal, which handles disputes and appeals relating to electricity regulation, is also included in the proposed changes.
Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL): The state-owned company responsible for electricity generation will be part of the restructuring of government electricity companies.
Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL): The company responsible for transmitting electricity across the country is also earmarked for merger.
Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL): The company responsible for electricity distribution is the third state-owned electricity company included in the proposed merger.
The three electricity companies currently handle different stages of the power supply chain: generation, transmission and distribution. Their proposed merger is intended to bring these operations under a more consolidated structure.
What happens to the 97 agencies being retained?
Not all government agencies are being abolished or merged. Lumumba said 97 of the 157 institutions reviewed will retain their independent status.
This means they will continue operating as separate government entities rather than having their responsibilities transferred to ministries or combined with those of other institutions.
