By John V Sserwaniko
Decrying inadequate government appreciation for the essentiality of development planning, Deputy Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo on Monday inaugurated & presided over the swearing in ceremony of the new BoD members for National Planning Authority (NPA).
The ceremony took place at the High Court in Kampala where incoming BoD Chairperson Prof Pamela Sabiiti Mbabazi led her team in taking oath of allegiance and promising dedicated service to the Authority that is created under the NPA Act of 2002-effectively operationalizing Article 125 of the Constitution. Prof Pamela promised many grand things including prioritizing the building of development planning capabilities for local governments as well as reaching out to the private sector and CSOs like never before. She also pledged inclusiveness and increased prioritization of gender mainstreaming issues into development planning.
Besides Prof Pamela, other BoD members are Prof Sam Oboya Kinyera (Deputy Chairperson), the indomitable NRM politician Lydia Wanyoto, Prof Enos Kireme and Dr. Ivan Lule. Majority of them are scientists, something the indefatigable NPA Executive Director Dr. Joseph Muvawala said is indicative of the primary task the President wants the new team to accomplish. “My Lord majority of them are scientists because H.E. the President’s directive is for Uganda to deepen industrialization with NPA playing the leading role to ensure this is well coordinated. It’s the H.E’s insistence now that we must proceed in a way that ensures science becomes more integrated into our industrialization strategy as a country,” Muvawala told DCJ Owiny Dollo as he run through the short profiles of each of the 5 new BoD members under whose supervision he will shepherding NPA for the next 5 years.
Muvawala, who was accompanied by a team of NPA officials (including Peter Murangira, BoD Advisor Dr. Gidudu, HR Head Senyonga, Counsel Tatu Nakanjako, Minute Secretary Mwanje & PRO Emily), caused laughter when he praised DCJ Owiny Dollo for expeditiously responding to the request to avail himself to swear in the new BoD.
“My Lord I must confess I thought it would take not less than 6 months to have this ceremony but I was pleasantly surprised that it has taken us just one day to get you to accept to preside over this important occasion,” Dr. Muvawala humorously said prompting DCJ to say “that is how it always has to be because it’s our work to serve our country in that other capacity too.”
Unlike elsewhere, the NPA one is an Executive BoD making it a full time engagement for the new members of the Authority that primarily is charged with producing comprehensive and integrated development plans for Uganda. In all this, the overall objective is the realization of the transformation ideals articulated in Vision 2040.
UNDERSTANDING THE NEW BOD
To keen observer, the composition of the BoD clearly betrays what President Museveni (the appointing authority) wished to achieve by deploying them. Whereas the scientists will mainstream sciences to ensure we industrialize in a manner that prioritizes sciences, Prof Pamela Mbabazi (a social scientist) brings in professionalism and good corporate governance values.
She has previously served as DVC Mbarara University and was a prominent member of the Prof Fred Kayanja core team which Museveni has always praised for heeding his advice resulting into the rapid transformation of Mbarara University into a giant academic institution within such a short time.
So besides professionalism and desire to benefit from her vast network within the academia and beyond, Museveni must have considered her loyalty as a development-oriented cadre and child of the NRM revolution.
During a recent visit to Kabaka’s palace in Kireka, Museveni justified the presence of Hon Evelyn Anite on his entourage by telling the Kabaka time had come to unveil young cadres to signify the continuity that he desires to see during his retirement. Relatively young Prof Pamela Mbabazi represents that too.
She is also a well-polished and refined person with a knack for results and prudent time management. She has the energy and persuasive skills to cajole (and whip where necessary) to ensure the floppy technocrats in our MDAs are caused to deliver results as quickly as Museveni (who feels his NRM revolution has under achieved) desires to see.
Like her predecessor the amiable Prof Kisamba Mugerwa did, Prof Pamela Mbabazi will be sitting in Cabinet as an ex-officio member for the next 5 years. She no doubt has the commitment, exposure, sophistication and the deep understanding of things that will inspire respect among cabinet colleagues she will be closely working with in the service of the President and country. Besides MUST, she very actively served Makerere Senate and other Universities abroad.
AND LYDIA WANYOTO?
Her relatively young age notwithstanding, Wanyoto is a colossus in her own right. She has been and done many things in the public sphere. As DCJ Dollo testified at the oath-taking ceremony, the lady from Bugisu is an astute politician.
Dollo said when still active in politics, Wanyoto is one of the young cadres he closely interacted with and found to be very insightful and intellectually well-endowed. She has vast experience right from the Civil Society, doing advocacy/legal work, 10 years at Arusha as an EALA MP and good years of fruitful service working for the AU Somalia pacification Mission.
She is also a capable politician who has grown through the ranks of the NRM under the prudent mentorship of Gen Museveni. She is currently the national chairperson of the NRM Women League, a position she has revitalized and given so much prominence you could easily think it started with her yet more eminent figures like Jacqueline Mbabazi previously occupied it. The thing is since her election at Namboole, Wanyoto has done her job with enthusiasm and her electors appreciate the League is now more vibrant and outspoken on their issues than ever before.
Wanyoto’s many years of service in the top echelons of the Museveni NRM politics simply means she is well possessed with adequate understanding of the NRM election-related priorities. “She is there to accomplish many things for Mzee for whom she is a blue eyed girl but the most vital thing is to ensure the NRM manifesto priorities are well prioritized in the formulation of all the development planning interventions NPA comes up with. Because we have a contract with our electors, she and the rest of the members at NPA have to ensure what the voters expect of the President is primarily what guides development planning,” says an influential Museveni assistant. Wanyoto’s posting also confirms one other thing; that Museveni is increasingly perceiving her as a rising political star for the Eastern region having been let down by some of the senior cadres he previously empowered from the same region.
Her regular prime media appearances is also an opportunity to deepen people’s understanding and appreciation of the NPA mandate and relevancy in this country as the leading economic think tank for the GoU. All said and done, taking NPA to the next level should be relatively easier for the new team because of great pioneering work venerable Kisamba Mugerwa did and left in place. As head of secretariat, Dr. Muvawala has equally done a good job putting in place a robust team of highly experienced staff, a significant number of whom are PhD holders. DCJ Owiny Dollo says the fact that upscale neighborhoods like his own Muyenga are the way they are is indicative that the new team has also a lot of rectifications to make. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
