Hajj Yunus Kakande: The Quiet Administrator at the Heart of Presidency

What the report says

Nile Post reports that Hajji Yunus Kakande remains a central administrative figure in President Yoweri Museveni’s government after more than four decades in public service. He continues to serve as Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Presidency, a role that puts him in charge of the Office of the President’s broad administrative network and makes him one of the longest-serving senior officials in the system.

According to the report, Kakande oversees key functions tied to the Presidency’s operations nationwide, including matters involving Resident District Commissioners, Resident City Commissioners and presidential advisers. His office also handles administrative issues related to appointments, deployment, facilitation and remuneration, and plays a role in some appointments across government ministries. The article says this makes him an important link between the Presidency and its representatives across the country.

The piece traces his career from his entry into the Office of the President in 1993 after earlier service in the Ministry of Social Services and Welfare. It notes his rise through positions including Senior Assistant Secretary, Principal Assistant Secretary, Undersecretary and later Secretary to the Office of the President in 2018. Nile Post says his latest retention in the November 9, 2026 Cabinet and public service reshuffle highlights continuity in an office that depends heavily on institutional memory.

The article also points to his low public profile, his reputation as a mentor to other officers, and recognition he received in 2025 for his service, including work connected to Uganda’s hosting of major international summits in 2024.