By Mulengera Reporters
In the estimation of skeptics like opposition strongman Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, Janet Museveni was supposed to fail in execution of her duties as Education Minister. However, the increased confidence donors have continued to exhibit towards the sector under her political leadership is indicative great improvements have been registered (notwithstanding the challenges). The deeply spiritual Born Again lady has further been vindicated by remarkable improvements in the overall management and timely release of national examination results by UNEB. The Fagil Mandy-era fights between the UNEB governing board and management are clearly a thing of the past now. BoD Chair Prof Mary Okwakol works exceptionally well with Executive Secretary Daniel Odongo. Janet’s commitment to high integrity has inspired increased transparency in the recruitment, remuneration, promotion and posting of teachers in government schools. The Lubega Waggwa-led Education Service Commission has had to operate like a 21st century corporate organization like never before when handling recruitment and posting of teachers. The National Council of Sports (NCS) is today more funded and runs the entire sports sub sector in a more accountable way. The basic (primary) education aspect is today run in a more participatory way than ever before because Janet’s personal mobilization efforts (complimented by equally hands-on Rose Mary Seninde) have ensured parents become keener and more involved in their children’s learning. Notwithstanding the ongoing strike at Makerere, significant efforts have been made to streamline governance and welfare issues at public Universities. Credit goes to men like Eng Wana Etyem who have patiently worked with Janet to deepen the executive’s understanding of the dynamics and the context under which certain things happen at Universities. In reference to Prof Nawangwe’s controversial management approach, Janet is optimistic the combination of carrot and stick will lead to total pacification of Makerere (and subsequently other Universities) in a manner that ensures a win-win situation. In the same period, unprecedented infrastructure has been delivered at Universities under the AfDB-funded HEST project. During Janet’s leadership, the Grace Baguma-led National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) has completed revision of the school curriculum whose rolling out will soon commence. Yet that isn’t all. The much awaited construction of the Ministry headquarters will soon commence with potential funding from Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Location will be the vast ministry land in Kyambogo near the NCHE & Inter-University Council of East Africa headquarters.
THE EXCELLENT PS
Riding on PS Alex Kakooza’s excellent team-building skills, Janet has also been able to pacify tensions that existed at Ministry headquarters during the tenure of her predecessor Jessica Alupo and former PS Rose Nassali. The antagonism between the two paralyzed work and crippled sector coordination for close to 5 years (2012-2016) to total embarrassment of the President and NRM government. Alupo and Nassali contemptuously referred to each other as “that evil woman” and consequently couldn’t sit together in top management meetings which actually never took place at all because of the tense environment that existed. Teckla Kinalwa, who was the seasoned Secretary to Office of the President, on failing to reconcile the two reacted by transferring many younger technocrats who she didn’t want to be embroiled in the chaos. Those who stayed got too demoralized to output any significant work. Intrigue, rumor-mongering and clique formation became order of the day as fortune-hunters sought favors from both Alupo and Nassali. The duo one time attended an international conference where they declined organizers’ request to sit together and made submissions contradicting each other. Through ESO intelligence gathering, this embarrassing incident got to the President who personally intervened speaking to both of them in vain. On getting disgusted, Museveni prompted the Prime Minister to carry on but he too failed. At the height of their conflict, the two ladies accused each other of witchcraft and catholic clerics often had to be ferried at Embassy House ostensibly to exorcist the evil spirits. Many technocrats got blacklisted on mere suspicion of disloyalty to either lady. Their feuding spread to the other ministers including Charles Bakkabulindi (Sports), JC Muyingo (Higher) and Kamanda Batalingaya (Primary) who for unknown reasons didn’t work well with their boss Alupo. As of June 2016 when Janet, Kakooza & Co took charge, donors had become disgusted and previously committed funding was beginning to be withheld. The Janet-era sanity gradually detoxicated all that donor fatigue and within a short time, the World Bank had change of heart and halted the termination of the $100m GPE funding meant to strengthen primary teaching via staff capacity building and infrastructure construction. Consequently, more than 84 primary schools have been reconstructed throughout Uganda-mostly benefiting schools that barely had any physical infrastructure to write home about. Of these, 54 have already been commissioned and more will be commissioned this year. This improved learning environment, it’s expected, will gradually diminish the dropout rates as pupils are motivated to stay at school longer because of the nice well-furnished class room facilities. GPE has also had a component on ensuring increased participation of parents and other community leaders/members in the children’s learning. Within 6 months of Janet at education, other partners (not only WB) were enthusiastically back to the sector including the Belgians, Japanese (JICA), South Koreans, Kuwait, the Saudis and other Arab agencies categorized as OPEC. Indeed much more has been accomplished than can be exhaustively documented in this single article.
WHO HAS DONE WHAT
DIGP Sabiiti; He has been a pillar in Janet’s efforts to put things right long before he even became Deputy IGP. At the time she became Minister, Janet was appalled with endless rumors of UNEB exams leaking. She summoned UNEB top management and they told her the problem was at the police stations where papers would be kept on the night before a particular paper is done the next day. The DPCs and RPCs were being implicated in this mischief and Janet instantly considered highly incorruptible Sabiiti, who was then heading military police, to be someone that could be relied upon to overcome this problem. He deployed carefully selected Military Police personnel to spy on each of the DPCs and RPCs in the areas where UNEB exams were being kept and in the process, many dubious characters were identified and remedial action taken. This significantly diminished cases of exam leakage resulting into improved integrity of UNEB exams management systems. Sabiiti continues to be a phone call away for Janet each time there is any enforcement work that needs to be done for the betterment of the sector.
Prof Barnabas Nawangwe; When she became education Minister, Janet was uncomfortable with excessive influence IGP Kale Kayihura was having at Makerere to the extent VC Ddumba would suspend indisciplined students only for Kayihura to drive to Lumumba to reinstate them. One time Ddumba pondered resigning when striking Lumumbists he had suspended for damaging University property were instantly reinstated by Gen Kayihura without consulting anybody at the University. Kayihura, who the jubilant Lumumbists carried shoulder high to the freedom square, told reporters he intervened to prevent escalation of the strike. Each time students or staff went on strike, Kayihura unleashed teargas before collecting ring leaders and taking them to the President. Janet disliked this approach and rung Kayihura directing him to back off Makerere affairs. She told him she wanted to try a different approach and that is why Kayihura became rare at Mak in his last two years as IGP. In her new strategy, Janet prioritized working with Nawangwe who was Deputy VC under Ddumba. She always sought his advice on the best way to intervene and all this made Ddumba feel undermined escalating conflict between him and Nawangwe. The DVC’s approach was to identify trouble causers among both students and staff many of whom were rehabilitated into allies. Indeed Nawangwe on becoming VC ensured many such trouble causers got small time-remunerated errands to do for him to isolate wrong doers. Those who remained obstinate were suspended angering Councilor Doreen Nyanjura (aka FDC preacher) who always relied on such militant students to mobilize political action whenever necessary. She threatened to resign her position as KCCA rep on the Mak governing Council. Some of his actions have backfired but Nawangwe continues to act in a manner aimed at achieving Janet’s broader objective of pacifying the University. In fact Nawangwe indicated that for him to be able to transform Mak from a campus of strikes to one of peace, there was need to have a supportive council comprised of members who will understand context for his actions. And that is how as Minister, Janet reciprocated by deploying the likes of Kiwanuka Kiryowa, Stephen Kagoda and Lorna Magara who replaced equally supportive Wana Etyem as new Council chair. Nawangwe continues to ensure Mak striking culture is diminished but his actions have also had the unintended effect of checking on the opposition appeal at Mak.
Thomas Tayebwa; Along with Bruce Kabasa, the Ruhinda County MP has for a while distinguished himself as a smooth operator ready to deliver to perfection all Janet assignments regarding Makerere. He is a long serving council member and chairs the Finance & Investments committee of Council. He has been supplementing Nawangwe’s efforts to ensure the carrot and stick are effectively used to achieve Janet’s broader objectives at Mak. Last week during a session to hear Mak staff grievances, Tayebwa bitterly clashed with the populist Kalungu West MP Joseph Sewungu who accused him of being the conduit through whom State House’s draconian directives are delivered to Nawangwe for implementation. Working with Appointments Board Chairman Bruce Kabasa, Tayebwa has also ensured that the Board decisions are made in a way that neutralizes would-be trouble causers among staff. He has contacts of people who matter at Makerere within Council, Senate and the Colleges. A graduate from Mak law school, Tayebwa was also key in ensuring more reliable Nawangwe trounced Prof Baryamureeba in the race for VC. Baryamureeba went to Kahinda Otafiire (a renowned Tayebwa foe) trying to cry foul but it was too late to redeem himself. To this day, Barya claims he lost partly because Tayebwa misinformed the First Lady about him and what he stands for. Barya tried to use Otafiire to counter Tayebwa but the man from Ruhinda was too smart for him. Others complimenting Tayebwa and Kabasa efforts in using the Appointments Board to ensure would-be trouble causers are purged include Dr. Sarah Ssali and Euzobia Baine.
Prof Elly Katunguka; He is another “dictator” who has ensured would-be trouble makers at Kyambogo University are isolated and neutralized. During the days of Janet’s predecessors (especially Bitamazire and Alupo), KYU had more strikes than even Makerere. At some point striking lecturers walked out on Bitamazire and then Premier Apollo Nsibambi who had come to convey the President’s message regarding their demand that VC Lutalo Bbosa quits. Staff in the end forced out Bbosa and Prof Isaiah Ndiege who replaced him as VC. That isn’t all. KYU has also always been an FDC stronghold, something Katunguka set out to alter when he became VC. Being one of the vet doctors overseeing cows at the President’s ranches, Katunguka took personal initiative to ensure Kyambogo doesn’t give Janet headache similar to what her predecessors endured. His iron-fisted approach has gradually cowed would-be trouble making employees leading to prolonged stability at Kyambogo whose graduation ceremonies Janet has eagerly been presiding over without any fear of being surprised by any FDC-leaning rioters. Under Katunguka, the Kyambogo physical infrastructure has greatly improved as have the cash flows.
Charles Barugahare; He is another Janet blue eyed boy doing wonders at Makerere where he serves as University Secretary/Accounting Officer. As Secretary to Council, Barugahare ensures that matters of great concern to the Minister are prioritized on the Council agenda and the resultant decisions are expeditiously implemented. Unlike his predecessors, Barugahare works well with VC Nawangwe, something that catalyzes expeditious execution of the Minister’s directives at the University. He is cautious and very transparent and accountable with University funds. Barugahare, who Prof Ddumba mistrusted having seen his closeness to Janet, often leaves no stone unturned in working to ensure genuine reconciliation between VC Nawangwe and his Muasa adversaries. Naturally he is also respectful to authority to the extent he ensures funds are allocated in a manner that is consistent with his line ministry’s broader objectives. Barugahare’s good working relationship with Janet has ensured regular financial interventions are made by the President to boost the perennially cash-strapped University coffers. He for instance was the conduit through whom billions were negotiated for the construction of sports facilities Mak required to properly host the international University netballing competitions last year. He met Janet and Yoweri Museveni to whom he made a good case and the Finance Ministry PSST Keith Muhakanizi was ordered to immediately release the money. The UPDF Engineering department was directed by the CiC to do the construction and the facility was up within just days.
Prof Wasswa Balunywa; He is the long serving Mubs Principal who sometime last year got a new contract to serve as one of the agency heads under Janet. Balunywa has always ensured Mubs is strike-free, a tradition that has continued even during the Janet-era. In fact the way he runs Mubs and ensuring no strikes is something his good friend Nawangwe continues bench-marking upon to ensure Mak equally becomes strike-free. Being a strong NRM cadre personally known to the President, Balunywa is personally obliged to ensure Janet is well supported as minister for education.
Andrew Mwenda; Each time she travels, Janet likes carrying something that talks good about Uganda. She has always carried copies of the souvenir magazine that was produced as Uganda marked 50 years of independence. But she always wished she had something specifically about education, the sector she leads. Media entrepreneur Andrew Mwenda, a diehard Museveni supporter, recently answered this very need when he offered to produce a comprehensive publication specifically telling the transformation resulting from the UPE success story. Mwenda was so willing to make this contribution, he told Janet even if there was no money his team at the Independent magazine would do the job. In the end he produced a master piece publication which President Museveni launched on 26th January 2019 as part of the celebrations to mark NRM’s 33th anniversary. Janet, who likes doing advocacy for Uganda wherever she travels abroad, is now carrying copies of this advocacy souvenir. The Mwenda publication also demystifies opposition claims that Museveni introduced UPE after plagiarizing their 1996 campaign manifesto. Truth is UPE evolved from the Senteza Kajubi 1992 report that demanded democratization of education by making it more inclusive of the poor. Yet that isn’t all. Mwenda, who is a good friend of First Son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has always been very defensive of Janet’s public service record and continues to counter Janet skeptics like Semujju Nganda, TVO and others on TVs and social media.
Robert Kabushenga; His New Vision has been very supportive of the Janet-era education sector accomplishments ever deploying Education Affairs editor Conan Busingye to carry articles that are supportive of the transformation being registered in areas like BTVET and upcoming public Universities. Equally true, Janet’s sector-related engagements continue attracting front page coverage in the Kabushenga-led Vision Group which is also Uganda’s largest media establishment. Being a lady who is fascinated by high quality things, Janet always prefers placement of her stories and pictorials as sent by her media team and Kabushenga always respects that by ensuring nothing is added or subtracted.
Aggrey Kibenge; He is the Undersecretary MoES with lots of experience and institutional memory at the education Ministry which he first joined as a volunteer while still serving as vice president for UNSA which since the Amanya Mushega days has been housed at MoES. Having been mentored by the best (like Apollo Nsibambi, Kiddu Makubuya, Stephen Malooba, Florence Malinga, PSs Amb Emmanuel Sendawula, Opiko Opoka, Ben Otto, Fr. Pius Tibanyendera, Chris Kassami and eventually FX Lubanga), Kibenge is often delegated to act whenever his equally versatile supervisor and boss Alex Kakooza is away. From FX Lubanga, he learnt to always despise mediocrity when preparing official documents and this is one of the many skills he has generously made available to Janet who never misses having him around during those high level donor meetings at Nakasero, Entebbe or even abroad. Whenever Mr. Kakooza is unable to make it, it’s his 2nd in command Kibenge travelling with Janet. Gratefully even H.E. the President appreciates his capabilities as an efficient bureaucrat. Kibenge has a degree in education from Kyambogo and started out with a diploma from Kakoba NTC whereafter he taught at City High in Kampala with contemporaries like tourism PS Doreen Katusiime. Having been with the Ministry as a volunteer in the UNSA office since 1990s, Kibenge knows so much and Janet is privileged to have him as a core member of her team. As Minister, Amanya Mushega was so fond of him he ensured he wrote ministerial speeches besides taking minutes during top management meetings. He remained a volunteer because of the government-wide ban on recruitment which was only lifted in late 1990s prompting Lubanga (who had just been made PS from the Decentralization Secretariat) to finally recruit him formally. He started out as Assistant Secretary in 1999, became PA to Minister Apollo Nsibambi, SAS general duties, PAS in 2006 and eventually Undersecretary in 2010. This vast experience explains why Kibenge was made MoES spokesperson when Amb Ocato joined NCHE.
Ruth Achimo; As pioneer accounting officer Soroti University, the former Gulu University lecturer has accountably delivered glittering infrastructure and thereby making her sector political leader Janet Museveni very proud. She has been to Soroti a couple of times and left very proud of what Achimo has been able to do amidst all the political hostility the SU team continues to face especially from political detractors. As some point, much-targeted Achimo wanted to resign but Janet counseled her to soldier on focusing her on the fact that winners never to quit.
Charles Bakkabulindi; Through agencies like the NCS, the sports minister has been very instrumental in Janet’s overall performance. He has been the shock absorber enduring all the criticisms that sporting associations would have directed at Janet. He has also been very outspoken taking on stubborn MPs who like faulting GoU for inadequately funding sports. His resilience has emboldened Janet to relentlessly face Yoweri and finance ministry to ensure timely release of funds to Uganda Cranes and generally NCS which used to go begging Mzee every time there was a major tournament or Cranes campaign. This has resulted into improved showing by Uganda Cranes and other national teams at international competitions easing Janet’s recent efforts to secure a Shs15bn supplementary for NCS. In his supporting role, Bakka has been reinforced by NCS Gen Sec Dr. Patrick Egwen and Chairman Bosco Onyik. Others are Grace Baguma whose NCDC rapidly reviewed the curriculum and Dr. Kedris Turyagyenda whose Directorate of Education Standards (formerly ESA) has closely worked with PS Kakooza and MLoG to intensify the schools inspection program.
Daniel Odongo: The UNEB Executive Secretary is one bureaucrat who has excelled at being flexible when it comes to heeding Janet’s advice and guidance. He makes sure the Minister’s briefing meeting is organized on good time to abreast her of the national exam results shortly before release to the public. Consequently, he is among those who Janet calls whenever she comes across anything controversial in the media regarding national examinations. She likes him for many things including the fact that he speaks with a lot of clarity and honesty whenever required to explain anything controversial. The same goes for his BoD Chairperson Prof Mary Okwakol who is also excellently serving as VC Busitema University which (like Balunywa’s Mubs) rarely has strikes. Great scientific innovations regularly coming out of there is another cause for pride in Yoweri and Janet Museveni who Okwakol regularly hosts at Busitema.
Rose Seninde; Using her oratory skills, the Wakiso woman MP is liked by Janet for relentlessly lobbying the moment she gets to believe in something. She is ever whipping basic primary education department technocrats to expeditiously deliver on projects that are critical to her sector performance especially the early childhood program. She will personally be available to chair all relevant meetings and insists on timeliness. As if a mobilizer at NRM secretariat, Seninde often goes to districts to talk to parents on the essentiality of not taking elementary education of their children lightly. She calls on them to get involved as a matter of priority as opposed to leaving everything to GoU. Janet has complimented Seninde efforts by fearlessly calling on parents to take up the school feeding of their children. The enthusiasm with which the two lady ministers speak and act on education matters, inspires many donor agencies to make more generous commitments especially the WB/GPE whose support for the primary sub sector has only been increasing unlike before when termination threats were order of the day.
JC Muyingo; He has been the other unsung hero of the Janet-era. He faced several embarrassing episodes during Alupo-era including being rebuked off a graduation ceremony at Mak where President was presiding over and his boss never wanted him there. The wealthy man from Bamunanika is often tasked to act as full minister each time Janet is constrained and unavailable. Muyingo is for Higher Education and just like Bakka, he has often absorbed shock enduring attacks that would ideally have been Janet’s. For instance when Mubs’ Balunywa got difficulties getting his contract renewed, a group of Muslim clerics opened war on Muyingo falsely claiming he was against Balunywa in favor of his fellow catholic Prof Venescias Baryamureeba. But away from that, Muyingo has been helpful in many other ways given his knowledge of the sector where he also participates as a proprietor of some of the best private academic institutions. His calmness and laid back personality is another aspect of the complimentary leadership he adds onto the Janet team.
JANET STRENGTHS
In her own right, Janet too has been a strong personality and being First Lady has moved many mountains that ordinarily would have stood in any other minister’s way to deliver. Knowing the person you are dealing with is the First Lady inspires confidence even among development partners giving them assurances the President will subsequently buy in leading to unconstrained implementation of stuff agreed upon. She is also a patient listener and while chairing Ministry meetings mostly at Nakasero and Entebbe State House, Janet will patiently listen in until everybody has spoken. “She never rushes anyone to end their submissions because she always says we have the time,” said a source close to her adding that sometimes meetings will go on till late to ensure matters are exhaustively discussed. “She makes sure people are free to say anything without fear of retribution and will even prompt those who are quiet by asking ‘what do you have to say?’ That way you have everybody making input leading to consensus decisions owned by everybody. That’s one way she uses to eliminate intrigue and clique formation.” She shows respects for others’ views by sometimes abandoning or adjusting her own original position in favor of better views advanced during top management meetings. She has also often used her clout as First Lady to contradict Yoweri on matters regarding her sector. She is human and quite often gets defeated by a much more informed President who sometimes rejects her views. For example when it came to procuring furniture for the 84 schools built under GPE, some people ran to the President saying a group of technocrats led by Dr. Nkada were dubiously sidelining local suppliers contrary to BuBu and other local content obligations. Janet defended her technocrats saying being a WB program, furniture procurement couldn’t be ring-fenced to exclusively favor local suppliers. She was unsuccessful but her involvement ensured that Nkada was given the option of voluntary retirement as opposed to the disgraceful interdiction. When she hears so and so is unhappy about decision X, Janet will place a phone call to hear from the horse’s mouth as opposed to stabbing people in the back or condemning them unheard. Leveraging on her special status as a minister who doubles as First Lady, Janet has also worked well with colleagues at the horizontal level. These include Ministers of Local Government, Water, Health, Works and Security whose services (or absence of it) directly impacts on provision of education services. Using that approach, she has unblocked many would-be hard situations including a Kapchorwa WB-funded school that would have remained inoperational if it wasn’t her decision to directly ring her Works colleague to instantly construct an access road. Sometimes its resources that would have been required to say provide security, a dispensary or even water for the school to operate. Instead of waiting for funding in the subsequent FY, Janet will directly ring a colleague in the relevant ministry for improvisations to be made for the needful to be done. The same will happen if the crisis is staffing-related warranting instant teacher’ recruitment or inclusion on payroll by the Public Service Ministry. A donor rep said that Janet’s incorruptibility and desire for quick results has set high standards for staff working under her. To ensure staff are ethical, well aligned and motivated towards realizing the Ministry’s mission, Janet has regularly directed PS Kakooza to organize staff retreats. Not only does Janet personally attend and cheerfully participate, she ensures the venue is State House Entebbe whenever possible. This makes staff feel some sense of privilege and inclusion. It has also helped demystify State House among MoES employees. The alternative venues have been President’s Office and the Lugogo NCS facility. Besides the spiritual nourishment delivered by the likes of Bp Joshua Lwere, staff development-related papers are always delivered by some of the best motivation speakers including some from abroad. She has also hosted staff end of year parties which were a rarity in the past because of the strife that existed between Minister and PS. She has also reached out to head teachers who in 2017 were part of the Ministry end of year party hosted at Entebbe State House. She ensured the President took off time to interact with her guests. Premier Rugunda’s PPS Dr. Dorothy Kisaka, who also deputizes service delivery unit head Ezra Suruma, has been a regular speaker at such MoES staff events. Themes have always rotated around “excellence at the work place.” Janet has also used her unique position to ensure cabinet expeditiously passes all BTVET-related policies with specific emphasis being put on ensuring increased industry and private sector participation. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
