As Uganda charts its path toward accelerated socio-economic transformation, heads of government agencies are aligning their efforts to ensure that national development plans translate into tangible results for citizens.
The meeting which sought to align leadership efforts with Uganda’s national development agenda envisioned under the National Development Plan IV (NDPIV) was led by Col. Edith Nakalema recently at the Strategic Human and Institutional Capacity Development Programme (SHIPU) offices in Kampala.
Col. Nakalema highlighted that the plan aims to achieve higher household incomes, full monetization of the economy, and sustainable employment, all of which are critical to advancing the country’s long-term development.
She urged leaders to see themselves not merely as holders of technical expertise, but as public servants with a responsibility to safeguard the future of the nation.
“Even more important beyond technical capability, we are public servants because we care about the future of this country. Therefore, we cannot afford to miss the opportunity to make a contribution towards securing the future which our NDPIV has charted out,” she said.
Col. Nakalema emphasized the importance of collaboration, calling on agency heads to leverage goodwill and synergies to move Uganda forward.
She further underscored that leadership goes beyond meeting performance targets; it requires a united approach to solving development constraints and improving citizens’ quality of life.
“The season is now for us to move beyond being the ‘conveyor belt of service delivery’ and put up a united front as a joined-up government not to meet our performance targets but to drive national transformation,” Col. Nakalema said.
She also called for proactive engagement through media to communicate achievements and future plans to the public.
The meeting brought together a broad cross-section of government leaders, each contributing insights on how to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and enhance accountability to the citizenry.
Dr. Barirega Akankwasah, Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and chairperson of the heads of government agencies, emphasized the importance of sharing ideas to ensure the continuity of peace and development, particularly during periods of political transition.
“We are CEOs for national stability. How can we support the continued stability of our nation? Uganda has been stable and peaceful, and we should be appreciative by contributing to its continuity,” he said.
Accountability emerged as a key theme. Mercy Kainobwisho, Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), urged agency heads to showcase the accomplishments of the past five years and ensure that service delivery is effectively communicated to the public.
“We need to come up with a clear strategy by providing accountability. We must come up with one voice since we are here to support and showcase what we have done in the different sectors of our country. Let’s not take our country for granted; let’s promote it by showing accountability without involving politics in it,” she said.
The need for greater coordination between agencies was echoed by Juliana Kagwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), who pointed out that siloed work often stems from ineffective communication.
She stressed that inter-agency collaboration and the inclusion of young innovators could enhance the reach and impact of government campaigns. “We need those people to come and create the content about our campaigns while we give accountability,” she noted.
Similarly, Dr. James Musinguzi, Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), emphasized that while government agencies have achieved significant progress, much of it remains under publicized.
Highlighting UWA’s revenue-sharing initiatives with neighboring communities, he argued that youth engagement and strategic communication could amplify awareness of these initiatives.
Other leaders highlighted the importance of consolidating achievements and fostering closer relationships among agencies. Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama encouraged the creation of a research task force to document national achievements over the past 40 years.
Dr. Ezra Muhumuza of the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) stressed that government agencies are the implementers of the political manifesto and must work in harmony to fulfill the social contract with citizens.
Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako, CEO of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), also highlighted the importance of targeting young people aged 15 to 40 to participate actively in development campaigns, describing them as a majority that can be engaged effectively with the right communication strategies.
Throughout the meeting, the central message was clear: the heads of government agencies are entrusted with the responsibility of leading Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.
Their role goes beyond technical administration; it requires visionary leadership, collaboration, strategic communication, and citizen engagement.
By uniting efforts across sectors and leveraging the energy and innovation of the youth, Uganda’s leaders aim to transform policy objectives into tangible benefits for every citizen.
As Col. Nakalema concluded, the task for government leaders is not merely to maintain systems of service delivery, but to actively shape the country’s future.
The impact of their leadership will ultimately be measured not by individual achievements, but by the difference made in the lives of Ugandans and the nation’s progress toward sustainable socio-economic transformation.
