A Huduma Fellowship workshop aimed at developing leadership skills and nurturing political awareness among fellows took place in Kampala from September 29th to October 1st.

The workshop comprised various sessions, each addressing different facets of leadership, political consciousness, and international relations. Skilled speakers and mentors from the LéO Africa Institute Faculty facilitated the event.

The workshop commenced with a check-in session for fellows by LéO Africa Institute Deputy Director Kwezi Tabaro, laying the foundation for subsequent sessions. Key points discussed during this session included the upcoming Annual Leaders Gathering scheduled for November 17th-18th, bringing together members of the LéO Africa Institute and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Networks.

Political Consciousness and Service Delivery
Bright Malere, a faculty member at the LéO Africa Institute, led a session on Political Consciousness and Service Delivery. The session aimed to equip Huduma fellows with skills for applying Political Economy Analysis, developing political awareness, and creating a decision framework based on the relationship between political economy, government, and the community.

Bright provided a historical overview of political economy from Classical Economics (18th-19th Century) to Contemporary Political Economy (20th Century to date). He emphasized the significance of Political Economy Analysis, which includes informed decision-making, effective policy design, risk analysis, and promoting inclusivity, among other aspects.

The session highlighted key skills necessary for applying Political Economy Analysis, including analytical skills, research skills, critical thinking, data analysis, communication skills, and stakeholder engagement.

Africa’s Challenges and Prospects
William Babigumira, Head of Faculty at the LéO Africa Institute, led a session discussing contemporary Africa, focusing on the challenges it faces in its pursuit of prosperity and economic transformation.

William explored strategic constraints faced by Africa, such as cultural clashes, diversity of African identities, external geopolitical forces, lack of strong political determination, illegitimate governments, low commerce development, and severe travel limitations.

Despite these constraints, the session delved into African Union Agenda 2063 and “The 11 bottlenecks facing Africa,” a discussion paper by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni as contours of thinking providing a framework for reimagining Africa and the changes needed to realize the desired future.

Huduma Fellows proposed five strategic responses to these constraints:

Reimagining governance for more efficient leadership.
Reimagining human rights rooted in the local African context.
Embracing protectionism to gain independence from external influence.
Reimagining economic models to focus on intra-African trade.
Reimagining migration to respond effectively to various challenges.

African Foreign Policy and International Relations
The session on African Foreign Policy and International Relations in a Changing World, moderated by Kwezi Tabaro, Deputy Director of the LéO Africa Institute, featured Maj. Gen. Moses Rwakitarate as the speaker.

Maj. Gen. Rwakitarate emphasized the complexities of forming a unified African foreign policy and the importance of coherent foreign policy development in a changing global landscape.

Africa is a mighty continent with all the resources we need. But it’s you, young people, or your children to break these borders.

Maj. Gen. Moses Rwakitarate

He highlighted Africa’s potential and the role of young people in realizing it, stressing the need for unity among African nations.
Discussing Uganda’s foreign policy, he summarized it as a blend of nationalism for national interests and Pan-Africanism for advancing Africa’s agenda.

Maj. Gen. Rwakitarate also emphasized the significance of focusing on improving domestic conditions before fully engaging in foreign policy, considering Uganda’s vast untapped mineral potential.

In conclusion, Maj. Gen. Moses Rwakitarate’s insights underscored the intricacies of African foreign policy and the importance of diplomacy and unity in the African context.