Ernest Rubondo (pictured) has left office as Executive Director of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) after completing the maximum two terms.The PAU Board and Ministry of Energy have asked the Director of Finance to take charge in an acting capacity as Uganda moves closer to first oil.Rubondo’s contract expired on August 31, 2026, after nearly a decade at the helm as the Authority’s pioneer Executive Director.His departure comes as Uganda unveils “Pearl Sweet” as the brand name for crude oil from the Albertine Graben and enters the final stages of preparations for commercial production.The Authority advertised the Executive Director position in December 2025, about eight months before Rubondo’s contract expired, anticipating that his successor would be appointed before his exit. However, the appointment had not been concluded by the time he left.Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Irene Bateebe, confirmed the transition has started.“We have now started the transition at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, where we will soon announce the substantive Executive Director. But for now, the acting director is in place for that purpose,” Bateebe said.Sources in the petroleum sector identified Otonga Ochan as the acting Executive Director.Ochan is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda. He holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, and has over 21 years of experience in strategic planning, financial management, corporate governance and administration.He previously served for nine years as Commissioner of Corporate Services at the Uganda Revenue Authority, overseeing Finance, Administration, Human Resources and Information Technology.His assumption of office comes at a critical point for PAU, which is transitioning from overseeing project development to regulating commercial production.Bateebe said Rubondo served during one of the most consequential periods in Uganda’s petroleum history.“Mr Ernest Rubondo was the inaugural Executive Director of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, where he has served judiciously for 10 years,” she said.Under Rubondo, PAU oversaw the regulatory aspects of major projects, including the Kingfisher and Tilenga oil fields and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).The Kingfisher Development Area, operated by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), is about 80% complete, with readiness for first oil at 98%, Bateebe said. Kingfisher is expected to be ready for first oil by the end of September and to produce about 40,000 barrels per day at peak.Tilenga, operated by TotalEnergies, is expected to produce about 190,000 barrels per day at peak, while EACOP is 92.7% complete.The incoming substantive Executive Director will inherit a regulator overseeing national content, technical standards and the petroleum value chain as Uganda begins producing and marketing its crude.Bateebe said Ugandan enterprises have received contracts worth about $2.27 billion out of approximately $7 billion invested in the sector so far.Government is also preparing for a third licensing round covering the Kadam-Moroto, Lake Kyoga and Hoima basins.The process of selecting Rubondo’s substantive successor is still ongoing.Sources had indicated to URN that geologist Fred Kabanda is among those being considered, with his name reportedly forwarded to President Yoweri Museveni.Kabanda previously served as Assistant Commissioner for Oil and Gas Development and Production in the former Petroleum Exploration and Production Department and currently heads the Non-Renewable Natural Resources Division at the African Development Bank’s African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre.URN could not independently verify whether Kabanda is the leading candidate or whether his name has been formally submitted to the President.The delay has raised questions about the selection process after shortlisting and interviews, with media reports pointing to internal competition among current directors.Bateebe did not give a specific date for the appointment but said the substantive Executive Director would be announced soon.-URNThe post End of an Era: Rubondo Exits PAU After 10 Years, Successor Yet to Be Named appeared first on Business Focus.