PS Pius Bigirimana Retires in Major Civil Service Shake-Up

President Yoweri Museveni has officially sent Pius Bigirimana into retirement, bringing an end to a public service career spanning more than forty years. Bigirimana, who has been serving as the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Judiciary since 2019, was among 11 permanent secretaries affected by a sweeping administrative shake-up announced on November 9, 2026.

Throughout his extensive tenure in Uganda’s civil service, Bigirimana held several influential positions. He worked in the Office of the President, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). His time at the OPM between 2008 and 2013 was particularly notable, as it coincided with a major financial scandal involving donor and government funds meant for the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan in northern Uganda and Karamoja.

While parliamentary committees scrutinized his oversight as the accounting officer at the time, Bigirimana maintained that he was the whistleblower who exposed the financial irregularities. President Museveni publicly defended him in 2014, noting that the permanent secretary helped uncover the graft rather than participate in it. Bigirimana later transitioned to the Ministry of Gender before moving to the Judiciary, where his administration focused on institutional reforms and court modernization.

Following his departure, Doreen Katusiime has been redeployed from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities to take over as the new Permanent Secretary to the Judiciary. The changes are part of a broader reorganisation by the president, which includes the retirement of 11 permanent secretaries, the appointment of 13 new ones, and the retention of key officials like Finance Ministry PS Ramathan Ggoobi and Health Ministry PS Diana Atwiine.

For more details on this story, read the original report on Nile Post.