After a series of seminars, workshops, and immersion experiences on the changing demands on the public sector in Uganda and the necessary responsibility of public officials to address these demands, the Class of 2022 Huduma Fellows graduated from the year-long fellowship on the changing role of the civic and public sector in the delivery of services to citizens.
The Huduma Class of 2022 comprised 15 public and civic sector champions working in Uganda. The fellows are from diverse sectors, including taxation, communications, immigration, labour, security, public health, public policy, innovation, investment planning, and legal professions. Here is insight from their graduation seminar convened from 04 – 06 November 2022.
The seminar commenced with a welcome session and fellows check-in session with LéO Africa Institute Deputy Director Kwezi Tabaro, through which fellows shared their expectations from the seminar weekend, with most of them looking forward to the text-based sessions.
Drawing lessons from his last decade in the infrastructure industry of Uganda, Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited’s Nicholas Agaba Rugaba led the first session on bridging the Infrastructure and Services gap (tax administration, registration services, energy, roads, water, office space, and public buildings).
Agaba recommended the strategy of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to procure infrastructure and services that do not necessarily require private capital involvement. A tool to procure public infrastructure with private finance participation.
A thought leadership session co-facilitated by Mbabazi Annet Ntezi and Awel Uwihanganye allowed Huduma Fellows to reflect on their purpose and prepare them for failure.
Awel and Annet structured the conversation along the following readings:
▪ The Trough, by Judy Brown
▪ On Pain, Failure, Stutters and Perspective, by Solomon King
▪ “Wide Open”: Reclaiming Purpose and Passion, by Dawna Markova
Judiciary Uganda’s Head of Law Reporting Daniel Bwambale facilitated a session on how to effectively influence peers, the political leadership, and different stakeholders during the discharge of public service duties.
In his remarks to Huduma Fellows, Guest of Honour RT Hon Daniel Fred Kidega, Former Chairperson, East African Legislative Assembly
encouraged Fellows to observe four principles;
• Health (psychological, intellectual, spiritual, and economic health)
• Hard work
• Humility
• Honesty
“The commonly appreciated principle is that every society requires a well-coordinated provision of public goods and services, such as roads, railways, airports, hospitals, schools, security, justice, and environmental protection, to mention but a few,” Makerere University Secretary Yusuf Kiranda in his remarks at the graduation ceremony of the Huduma Class of 2022.
“The conventional argument that typically follows is that such public goods and services cannot be entirely provided by the market, and therefore, we need the public sector to deliver them.”
“The seminar and workshop topics gave us unmatchable enlightenment. Right from the first contact with situational leadership and personal inventory to the thought-provoking discussions on political consciousness and contemporary Africa. We are indebted,” Huduma Class of 2022 valedictorian Moses Mulindwa in his valedictorian speech.
“We are also delighted to join a network of young and intentional leaders.”