What Museveni, ministers, NRM CEC, permanent secretaries agreed at the leadership retreat in Kyankwanzi

 

 

Before settling into their new offices, government leaders including; president Museveni, ministers, members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) and Permanent Secretaries met at a 10-day joint leadership at Kyankwanzi.

The retreat which sat from July25-August2, had a theme: sustaining steady progress: Cabinet cohesion, efficiency and effectiveness for enhanced service delivery and job creation.

Resolutions out

Though released three weeks after the unprecedented retreat ended, an August18 statement from the office of the Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, provides highlights of what was discussed and agreed.

The major discussions which saw government officials making 12 resolutions rotated around the new president’s “strategic guidelines and directives to cabinet delineating the programmes and actions aimed at ensuring that Uganda attains middle-income status by 2020, in implementation of the NRM manifesto 2016-2021.”

President’s guidelines and directives are; Ideology and political cohesion, policy formulation and effective service delivery, fast-tracking industrialization and development of Uganda (kisanja hakuna mchezo), strategic involvement of the party in supervision of government.

Others include; operational supervision of government programmes, economic performance and macro-economic stability, amendments to the legal framework, agriculture and operation wealth creation, effective communication strategy, fight against corruption, improving education sector, and external trade and cooperation.

The retreat thus made resolutions in respect to the aforementioned key guidelines and directives issued by the president mainly to the ministers and other government civil servants.

Below, www.muwado.com, brings you the detailed statement regarding the resolutions reached at the leadership retreat;

1. IDEOLOGY AND POLITICAL COHESION
2. Work to implement the single-most important task of the NRM and the NRM Government today, which is national socio-economic transformation;
3. Work relentlessly to implement the 23-Point Strategic Guidelines issued by the President, to ensure that Uganda becomes a middle-income status country by 2020, and a First-World country by 2040;
4. Ensure that negative old traditions are dismantled, and that the country moves away from manual, non-skilled labour, to skilled and intellectual labour;
5. Work for the closest harmony between the political and technical leadership of the country and government in addressing the task of national socio-economic transformation, including creating fora for regular fellowship and think-tanking together;
6. Popularize the priorities, programmes, and targets, among others, of the drive for national socio-economic transformation, amongst wananchi;
7. Work for complete harmony, focused and timely collaboration between the Executive and Parliament, in the drive for socio-economic transformation;
8. Commit ourselves to ideological refocus and reorientation through cadre identification, training and deployment.
9. POLICY FORMULATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY
10. The national development planning processes, policy formulation and implementation, budgeting, etc, shall reflect and embody the NRM Manifesto 2016 – 2021, and the Strategic Guidelines and Directives issued by the President to Cabinet;
11. The NRM leadership and the Secretariat shall be involved in policy formulation, supervision and monitoring as well as in the national budgeting process;
12. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and relevant Ministries, shall submit loan requests one MONTH in advance to the Rt Hon. Prime Minister and the Rt Hon. Secretary General for inter-sectoral scrutiny before loans are contracted, to confirm that the said loans are aligned to the NRM Manifesto, and the Strategic Guidelines and Directives;
13. Pre-contractual processes such as feasibility studies, project design and related documentation shall be ready before loans are secured/contracted. All ministries shall build and develop this capacity;
14. Counterpart funding shall be secured before the conclusion of the contracting of loans that require such funding;
15. Cabinet shall expeditiously study the early introduction of the Cabinet Committee system, for purposes of in-depth policy scrutiny and harmonization;
16. The technical leadership of Government, shall be provided with timely feedback of the proceedings of Cabinet;
17. Ministers shall be more actively involved in the budgeting process right `from the beginning, including the process of setting ceilings;
18. The entire Public Service, including Local Government Civil Servants, upto LC III, shall be freshly sensitized and mobilized about the drive for national socio-economic transformation, and it’s exigencies, and their central role in the process;
19. Ministers shall undertake regular and vigorous supervision of Government programmes throughout the country;
20. The Head of Public Service shall urgently constitute a committee of technocrats to expeditiously examine all Government procedures and processes, with a view to identifying those that should be immediately eliminated to minimize Government red tape, in line with the Strategic Guidelines and Directives;
21. The Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and relevant Ministries, shall study what contracts should be ring-fenced for local entrepreneurs; and also ensure local content is promoted in Government contracts with other parties;
22. All Ministries should ensure that their Strategic Action Plans are prepared and are SMART;
23. Cabinet shall undertake an in-depth study of the transformation experience of other emerging peoples and countries like Malaysia, with a view of identifying best practices which could be adopted according to our national conditions.

 

3. FAST TRACKING THE INDUSTRIALIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF UGANDA – “KISANJA HAKUNA MCHEZO”
4. Government shall work harder to ensure the implementation of all the measures envisaged in the Strategic Guidelines and Directives to enable Industry and Services grow exponentially, and employ more people;
5.      Government shall fast track the construction of 24 industrial parks to attract investors;
6.      Government shall ensure that, where technically possible and financially viable, local industries shall benefit from the projects (such as dams and roads) that are being undertaken in the country;
7.      Government shall deliberately link industry to forestry and agricultural products, and other natural resources;
8. Relevant Ministries shall actively promote production of acaricides, animal drugs, pesticides and fertilizers within the country, with appropriate technical advice to the farmers;
9.         The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries shall undertake more efficient and sustainable management of the lakes to get optimum returns from the fisheries industry;
10. Government shall continue the systematic capitalization of Uganda Development Bank (UDB), to reduce the cost of borrowing for investment and long-term financing;
11. Government shall work to urgently capitalize the Energy Fund to enable the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development execute outstanding projects;
12.          Government shall reduce the Corporation Tax now at 30% level;
13.          Government shall reinstate Tax holidays for investors;
14. Re-affirm the directive by H.E. that all Sectoral meetings organized by State House on the 23 Guidelines and Directives by H.E. the President shall also be attended by the Vice President, Prime Minister, the Secretary General, Minister of Finance, Government Chief Whip and the Head of Public Service
15.          Cabinet shall immediately institute a multi-sectoral team to make an urgent in-depth study of the question of the national labour and wage policy;
16. Government shall additionally vigorously implement the following
17. To modernize agriculture to provide raw materials for industries and boost export earnings ;
18. To continue to skill the workforce;
19. To develop the mining sector to provide raw materials for industries and export of minerals after value addition;
20. To stop over-fishing and protect fish breeding areas to save fish for fish factories;
21. To protect, plant and replant forests to support wood-based industries;
22. To review regulatory framework to protect the milk, sugar and tea industries;
23. Ensure that agro-processing is done together with strict disease control;
24. Promote industry and modernize agriculture for job creation;
25. Rationalize the working of Government to avoid duplication; in particular rationalize multiple government agencies to avoid duplication;
26. Consider removing VAT from dairy products to make them competitive in the region;
27. Ensure security of persons and their property by dealing firmly and lawfully with lawlessness and rioters, particularly in urban centres;
28. Strive to make our products competitive by addressing, bottlenecks such as infrastructure, electricity, communication, etc;
29. Work to reduce the Bujagali power tariffs;
30. Fast-track commercial oil production to get resources to finance identified priorities;
31. Review the curriculum, particularly for secondary schools to ensure that what is taught is relevant to the needs and aspirations of the country;
32. Set up agro-processing centres to promote value addition and exports;
33. Commit more resources for agricultural modernization, in particular water for production and application of appropriate modern technology to increase productivity in agriculture;
34. Invest more resources in skilling the population, particularly the youth;
35. Promote cottage industries to provide employment;
36. Ministers and Civil servants should utilize radio stations and the entire media to inform people on projects being implemented by Government; and the challenges, if any;
37. Recruit essential staff to implement the Manifesto policy directives.
38.  
39. Government shall take advantage of export markets in the European Union, United States and should explore more export opportunities with China, India, Japan, Russia and the far East;
40. Government shall encourage non-Africans to invest in manufacturing and other strategic areas, not in Retail Trade.

 

4. STRATEGIC INVOLVEMENT OF THE PARTY IN SUPERVISION OF GOVERNMENT
5. The NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) shall vigorously monitor the implementation of the NRM Manifesto;
6. The NRM Secretariat shall be appropriately restructured and build capacity to enable the party to participate more deeply in policy formulation, resource allocation, and monitoring the implementation of government programmes;
7. NRM Executive Committees at all levels shall actively monitor the implementation of the NRM Manifesto by Government, and all Government programmes;
8. The NRM Secretariat shall, upon monitoring of manifesto performance submit quarterly reports to the Party leadership and Prime Minister on Service Delivery;

 

5. OPERATIONAL SUPERVISION OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES
6. Government shall step up efforts to enhance the political and administrative supervision of service delivery by the Office of the Prime Minister, through improved coordination, monitoring and evaluation; as well as fully operationalizing the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit to enhance real-time reporting to the President and Prime Minister on implementation of top Government priorities;
7. Government shall involve numerous stakeholder institutions and individuals in this process, thus creating necessary synergy in the country’s development;
8. Government shall focus on timely problem solving, as part of the oversight role of Ministers, Members of CEC and other political leaders;
9. Political leaders shall explain to wananchi Government programmes and success stories;
10. Government shall review its bi-Annual and Annual Government Performance Assessment; the Evaluation Facility; and the Barazas to enhance performance management;
11.          Government shall step up strategic inter-ministerial and multi-sectoral coordination platforms.
12. ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE AND MACRO-ECONOMIC STABILITY
13. To applaud the very clear convergence of themes, the targeting of middle-income status at the threshold of US $1,033 by 2020, etc – in the NRM Manifesto, National Development Plan II, and Vision 2040;
14. To applaud the convergence in the aforementioned three programmatic documents in focusing on the critical importance of maintaining macro-economic stability for purposes of their successful implementation;
15. To note that growth over the next four years is expected to average above 6%; headline inflation is expected to remain in single digit between 5 – 10%; tax to GDP ratio is expected to rise from 13% to 15.9%; gross national debt to GDP ratio is expected to peak at 44.1% in 2018/19; etc;
16. To note with satisfaction that the advance to middle-income status shall translate, for instance, into a further and significant reduction in poverty levels from 19.7% to 14%; increase in national labour force in employment to 79%; increase in in access to electricity from 26% to 30%; further increase in life expectancy beyond the remarkable 63 years achieved so far; increasing safe water coverage from 71% to 90%; and many other strategic targets in reducing infant and maternal mortality, increase literacy rates from 70% to 72%
17. To note with deep satisfaction that the goal to achieve middle-income status is indeed achievable with the country having already attained the necessary indicators and now only needs to increase its per capita income by at least US $275.
18. To note that the commonalities in the Manifesto, National Development Plan II, and Vision 2040, shall demand the consistent mobilization of institutional synergies; improvement of allocative efficiency and the use of budgetary resources; increased supervision, inspection, sanction or reward.

 

7. AMENDMENTS TO THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK
8. Government shall propose expeditious amendment of the Constitution, Land Act, and other relevant laws, to enable Government acquire land for the timely implementation of Public Works;
9. Government shall propose expeditious amendment of the PPDA Act to eliminate delays in procurement;
10. Government shall propose expeditious amendment to the PERD Statute so that successor companies revert to parent Ministries for effective supervision and accountability;
11. Government shall propose the fast tracking of amendments to Acts of Parliament, and enactment of new laws, that directly impact on business and investment, in particular, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Anti-Laundering Act, the Counterfeit Bill, the Mining Act, Public Finance Management Act, etc. This is to stop theft of our resources by cyber criminals and also to avoid blacklisting by international partners and finance institutions;
12. AGRICULTURE AND OPERATION WEALTH CREATION
13. Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) shall register all farmers to facilitate better and targeted planning;
14. MAAIF should promote large-scale farming, including ranching for beef production;
15. MFPED and MTIC should prioritize provision of affordable credit to farmers;
16. Operation Wealth Creation, working with relevant agencies shall:
17. Provide resources to purchase coffee, tea, cocoa and citrus tree seedlings;
18. Provide technical/extension services to farmers;
19. Provide support for disease and pest control, and fertilizers;
20. Support and strengthen cooperatives and farmers’ groups as vehicles to empower farmers to store, add value and collectively market farmers produce;
21. Ensure that good quality seedlings are supplied to farmers and ensure prompt payment for the same;
22. Provide agro-processing capacity to organized cooperatives and groups;
23. Reduce post-harvest loss by building stores and silos – in partnership with the private sector;
24. Avail planting materials to farmers well in time to take advantage of rains;
25. OWC to work closely with local Governments;
26. MTIC should continuously look for markets for farmers and provide timely market information to them;
27. MoLG to instruct CAOs to issue guidelines to Parish Chiefs and Sub County Chiefs to guide their supervision of OWC activities;
28. OWC and MAAIF to allocate a percentage of seedlings for youths with land for agriculture;
29. OWC and MAAIF to train youth in modern agronomy practices;
30. Government to update the 68% figure of households in peasant farming and set periodic targets to monitor the reduction/changes in size of the population in subsistence agriculture;

 

9. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY: THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR E-GOVERNMENT

 

1. MDAs to design appropriate communication strategies to reach out to the population;
2.  
3. Government to provide adequate funding to enhance the capacity of Uganda Broadcasting Cooperation (UBC) to communicate effectively;
4. Government to extend e-governance to Ministries, Departments and Agencies and Local Governments (MDAs and LGs) in order to ensure efficiency and minimize delays and duplication in service delivery;
5. The Ministry responsible for labour to communicate on quarterly basis, the jobs created by Government;
6. Ministry of ICT and National Guidance to enforce accurate and responsible reporting by the media;
7. Ministry of ICT and National Guidance working in liaison with Ministry of Science and Technology to establish an institution mechanism to develop the knowledge and manufacturing of electronics in Uganda.
    
8. THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
9. Government shall provide adequate resources for training investigators and for investigations;
10. Government shall train internal auditors and protect them from being victimized by their seniors;
11. Government shall use the media to educate the public about the dangers of corruption and how it can be eliminated;
12. Government shall ensure teaching of ethical behavior and values at all education levels;
13. Government shall enforce zero tolerance to corruption and punish/prosecute those that are found corrupt, ensuring the full implementation of the anti-corruption law by prosecuting offenders and confiscating ill-gotten wealth;
14. Government shall ensure the close monitoring and supervision of procurements and implementation of projects by Accounting Officers and sanctioning errant officers to ensure proper utilization of public funds;
15. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development shall review, simplify and make more flexible the Output Budgeting Tool (OBT) and the format of the Ministerial Policy Statement to enhance the role of the Minister in the budgeting process and improve planning and resource allocation to changing priorities, as well as provide a proper basis for monitoring and evaluation;
16. Government shall promote public Barazas as a tool of accountability for public funds;
17. ISO to take the lead in detecting and investigating cases of corruption, including reinforcing its work especially through training, improved strategic reporting, and close engagement with accounting officers at various levels;
18. Government commends the work done by the Inspectorate of Government in the fight against corruption and pledges to support the IGG.
19. IMPROVING EDUCATION SECTOR PERFORMANCE
20. Government shall strongly maintain and enforce the policy of the nonpayment of school fees in UPE and USE Schools;
21. Government shall consider enhancements to the education sector budgets in the areas of development, maintenance and sports;
22. To note with concern that across the Sector, the wage bill accounts for the biggest percentage of expenditure, leaving miniscule resources for other functions such as supervision;
23. Government shall carry out an electronic registration/validation of all schools, pupils, students and teachers, to establish the exact number of schools, pupils and teachers to check possible abuse of funds in Government schools;
24. Government shall strengthen the project implementation unit of the Ministry of Education and Sports to ensure there is value for money;
25. Government shall prioritize, from next financial year, the provision of Government aided secondary schools to sub counties which have none; primary school per parish, technical school per constituency, and Health Centre III per sub county;
26. Government shall harmonize and rationalize funding for Presidential Pledges;
27. MoES shall monitor utilization of Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) in Universities to eliminate possible abuse;
28. Sports federations shall declare NTR to Government to ensure accountability and proper utilization of funds.
29. EXTERNAL TRADE AND COOPERATION
30. Government to examine with a view to adapting the “LAB” Model of delivery and implementation, starting with running economic LABs on Agriculture, Industry and Services; as well as Social LABs in Rural Development/Infrastructure, Poverty Reduction, Education and on the Fight Against Corruption;
31. Government to undertake an in-depth study of the options to the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA);
32. Government to make efforts to harmonise the East African Community (EAC) regional position on the Economic Partnership Agreement;
33. Government to promote humanism (Obuntu) in Global Diplomacy in an effort to reverse the moral decadence in globalization;
34. As Uganda’s economy develops and it becomes necessary to export labour, Government will enhance protection of Ugandans by negotiating bi-lateral labour exchange agreements and enforcement mechanisms to control human trafficking and abuse of Ugandans;
35.          Government shall strengthen coordination of commercial diplomacy efforts