President Museveni has today November 4th, 2016 confirmed Dr Diana Atwine, the former head of State House Health Monitoring Unit as Ministry of Health permanent secretary (PS), TheUgandan can confirm.
Dr Atwine, a physician and specialist in Internal Medicine, and the President’s doctor, officially takes over from Dr Asuman Lukwago who crosses over to the troubled Education ministry in the same capacity.
Mr Don Wanyama, the senior presidential press secretary, gave an official confirmation regarding Dr Atwine’s appointment and 32 other allocations among others Catherine Musingwiire being confirmed as the Public Service PS, Dorcas Okalany becoming the Lands, Housing and Urban Development PS and Ambassador Patrick Mugoya replaces Amb James Mugume as the Foreign Affairs PS.
“President Museveni, by powers conferred onto him by Article 174(2) of the Constitution has appointed and deployed Permanent Secretaries. This is an official confirmation regarding the appointments,” Mr Wanyama said in a telephone interview.
However, the months leading up to Dr. Lukwago’s transfer have been characterised infighting and power struggles at the ministry.
Lukwago says he has asked the appointing authority not to renew his contract because he wants to take on personal work and explore other professional options.
According to some sources, his relationship with the Health minister Dr Ruth Achieng has also been frosty.
Dr. Lukwago has accused some of the senior technocrats at the ministry whom he declined to name of being vultures spending taxpayers’ money on trips abroad for their personal benefit. However, Lukwago has also been accused of misappropriating ministry funds. Early this year court ordered for the arrest his over allegations of a fraudulent transfer of Shs1.2 billion to the National Medical Stores account.
He now moves to the Education ministry to serve under the First Lady Janet Museveni who is feared by all and known to be ironhanded when it comes to corruption.
About the PS job
The law. According to Article 174 of the Constitution, a permanent secretary to a ministry is appointed by the President in accordance with advice of the Public Service Commission. On the roles of PS, the Constitution states: “Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, a ministry or department of government shall be under the supervision of a permanent secretary whose office shall be a public office.”
Role of PS. A PS is responsible for the organisation and operation of the department or ministry, tendering advice to the responsible minister in respect to the business of a department. Among other roles, the PS is also charged with implementation of polices of the government of Uganda.
