Museveni Orders Overhaul of CEO Recruitment for Government Agencies

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Ministry of Public Service to explore shifting the recruitment of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Managing Directors (MDs) of government agencies to the Public Service Commission (PSC).

If approved, the new framework would see all such top positions publicly advertised, with standardised interviews conducted before any candidate is recommended to the President for final appointment. The move aims to inject transparency, meritocracy, and uniformity into the hiring process for heads of state-owned enterprises and regulatory bodies.

Currently, recruitment practices vary across agencies, often leading to complaints about opacity and political influence. By centralising the process under the PSC, the government seeks to ensure that only qualified professionals, vetted through a competitive and uniform system, ascend to these critical management roles.

The directive, which was communicated in recent correspondence, tasks the Ministry of Public Service to draft a clear implementation plan. This includes reviewing existing legal frameworks that govern agency appointments to align them with the proposed PSC-led model. Once the legal and administrative hurdles are cleared, all vacant and future CEO/MD positions would be advertised nationally, attracting a wider pool of talent.

The proposal is expected to strengthen corporate governance and improve service delivery in public enterprises, as leaders would be selected based on competence, experience, and performance in standardised interviews rather than through discretionary appointments. The President would retain the final say, receiving a shortlist of vetted candidates from the Commission.

Stakeholders, including agency boards and civil society groups, have been invited to contribute input as the Ministry drafts the new regulations. The transition is anticipated to take effect once Cabinet and relevant parliamentary committees give their approval.