Thirty staffs of the former Ministry of Lands and Forestry (MINILAF) have lost their jobs following the recent reshuffle that saw the Ministry eliminated.
The reshuffle saw other changes. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs changed to the Ministry of Emergency Management while the Ministry of ICT is now the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.
The other positions that were dropped from government include that of the Permanent Secretary (PS) for TVETs and the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Agicuture and Animan Rasources.
Employees in the ministries that were changed will keep their jobs, because when a public institution is trimmed, some of its duties are transferred to other institutions, according to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service and Labor, Gaspard Musonera.
Musonera said that the staff in question will be moved with their former jobs, but for those whose duties were dropped or don’t match with the new institutions’ mandate, the government will find them jobs in positions that might be vacant in other government institutions.
“They will be given available jobs in different government institutions. I think this is not the first time such a thing happens. When the Ministry of East African Community Affairs (MINEAC) was merged with the Ministry of Commerce (MINICOM) to form MINEACOM, all the other staff got jobs in other public institutions. They can get a job in every public institution when they fulfill the requirements, they stand higher chances than anybody coming from somewhere else,”Mr. Musonera said.
“In case it happens that someone fails to get a fitting job, they keep getting two thirds (2/3) of their former salary for six months. Most of the times, by the end of the six months, most people would have secured new jobs, “ Musonera revealed.
When the six months end without the employee getting a job, they get the accompanying allowance as stipulated by the labour law.
Musonera calmed down everyone concerned that the affected employees should be patient as search for positions in different public institutions continues.