Uganda Judiciary: Pius Bigirimana Retirement in Major Civil Service Shake-Up

• Pius Bigirimana, Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Uganda Judiciary, has been retired by President Museveni as part of a major civil service shake-up.
• Eleven permanent secretaries were retired in total on November 9, 2026, with Doreen Katusiime replacing Bigirimana at the Judiciary.
• Bigirimana's four-decade career included a controversial tenure at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) where a Shs50 billion financial scandal occurred, though he was publicly defended by President Museveni.
• At the Judiciary since 2019, Bigirimana was responsible for administrative and financial management, including efforts to modernize court administration and expand technology in judicial processes.
• This retirement is part of a wider government reorganisation that includes new appointments and redeployments across various ministries, with key officials like Lucy Nakyobe, Ramathan Ggoobi, Diana Atwiine, and Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe retained in their roles.

President Yoweri Museveni has initiated a significant overhaul within Uganda's senior civil service, leading to the retirement of Pius Bigirimana, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Judiciary.

President Yoweri Museveni has initiated a significant overhaul within Uganda's senior civil service, leading to the retirement of Pius Bigirimana, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Judiciary. This move, part of a broader shake-up announced on November 9, 2026, saw a total of eleven permanent secretaries conclude their service. Bigirimana, who has been the chief administrative officer for the Judiciary since 2019, will be succeeded by Doreen Katusiime, who transitions to this role from her previous position at the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.

Bigirimana's departure marks the end of a public administration career spanning over four decades, during which he occupied several influential roles across various government ministries and offices. His extensive experience included postings at the Office of the President, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and notably, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). His tenure at the Judiciary involved overseeing critical administrative and financial functions, including budget management, procurement processes, human resource operations, and the implementation of institutional reforms.

A significant period in Bigirimana's career was his service as permanent secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister from October 2008 to June 2013. During this time, the OPM became embroiled in a major public financial scandal that came to light in 2012. This controversy involved allegations of theft and the diversion of over Shs50 billion in donor and government funds, originally earmarked for post-war recovery programs in northern Uganda and Karamoja under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP).

Investigations into the scandal uncovered irregular financial transfers, including funds deposited into the personal accounts of public officials. While the office's former principal accountant, Geoffrey Kazinda, was prosecuted and convicted for offenses including forgery, Bigirimana, as the accounting officer, faced scrutiny from Parliament's Public Accounts Committee. The committee questioned his oversight of the OPM's financial operations and recommended that he be held accountable for certain irregularities. However, Bigirimana consistently maintained that he was instrumental in exposing the financial improprieties and initiating investigations into the suspected theft. President Museveni publicly defended him in 2014, stating that an examination of the Auditor General's report revealed no incriminating evidence linking Bigirimana to the theft, and that he had, in fact, helped expose the officials involved rather than participated in the fraud. The controversy resurfaced in 2021 when Bigirimana successfully won a defamation case against Monitor Publications over reports connecting him to the financial scandal.

Following his time at the OPM in 2013, Bigirimana served as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development for six years before his appointment to the Judiciary in August 2019. His leadership at the Judiciary coincided with significant efforts to modernize court administration, expand the integration of technology into judicial processes, and enhance overall access to justice for citizens. His responsibilities encompassed the full spectrum of the institution's administrative and financial management, making his role central to the operational efficiency of the Ugandan justice system.

The retirement of Pius Bigirimana, a long-serving and prominent figure in the Ugandan civil service, and the appointment of Doreen Katusiime, signals potential administrative shifts within the Ugandan justice system. This change is part of President Museveni's broader reorganisation of the country's senior civil service, which also includes new appointments, redeployments, and the retention of key officials such as Lucy Nakyobe as Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Ramathan Ggoobi as Finance Ministry permanent secretary, Diana Atwiine as Health Ministry permanent secretary, and Energy Ministry permanent secretary Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe.

The retirement of the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Judiciary, as part of a wider civil service shake-up, signals potential administrative shifts within the Ugandan justice system. Lawyers and compliance officers should monitor the new leadership's approach to judicial administration, procurement, and ongoing institutional reforms, as these changes could impact court processes and the efficiency of legal interactions with the Judiciary.

Source: Original reporting via The Independent (Uganda)