{UAH} Amama Mbabazi: I leave in good spirit, with humility

On Monday, Amama Mbabazi handed over to Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, the new prime minister of Uganda and leader of government business in Parliament. Here we publish Mbabazi's handover speech.

Right Honourable Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, prime minister of the Republic of Uganda and leader of government business in Parliament; 

Honourable Ministers and Ministers of State in the Office of the Prime Minister; 

The Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet; 

The Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister; 

Public Servants;

Ladies and Gentlemen;

I congratulate you upon your appointment by His Excellency the President to serve as prime minister of the Republic of Uganda. I am delighted to be handing over to you the Office of the Prime Minister and the Office of leader of government business in Parliament.

I wish you success in this new challenge.  I am confident that your wealth of experience will significantly contribute to our national aspirations for good governance, transformation and prosperity.

Vote of thanks

I thank His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for the opportunity accorded to me to serve our country as prime minister and leader of government business in Parliament since 6th June 2011 when I took over from the Right Honourable Professor Apolo Nsibambi. I also thank the Ministers and Ministers of State for the support they have always accorded to me which has been instrumental in enabling the effective discharge of my duties.

Let me most sincerely salute our civil servants across government. Civil servants support the elected and political leaders day in day out. It is this support that keeps government going. I thank you for the good work you do.

The handover report

I have prepared a fairly comprehensive handover report which serves to assist you Right Honourable to appreciate the nature of work that I have been preoccupied with as prime minister and leader of government business in Parliament.

The report highlights the mandate of the Office of the Prime Minister and the related accountabilities; the administrative arrangements within the Office of the Prime Minister; and the major streams of work and outstanding issues that you may have to prioritize as you set your forward agenda for the coordination of government business.

Our achievements

With the support I received from Cabinet, Parliament, the civil servants and non-state actors, the Office of the Prime Minister has been able to register a good deal of successes in improving government effectiveness in a rather short time.

The Office of the Prime Minister has provided strategic leadership for government Business in Parliament through coordinating the programming of the legislative agenda and attendance of Cabinet Ministers to their parliamentary responsibilities.  This was quite instrumental in the passage by Parliament of over 30 Bills and the conclusion of over 30 Reports:

Examples of Bills enacted into law include the following laws: 

(i) The Higher Education Students Financing Bill, 2013

(ii) The Anti-Money Laundering Bill, 2009

(iii) The Petroleum (Exploration, Development and Production) Bill, 2012.

(iv) The Petroleum (Refining, Gas Processing and Conversion, Transportation and Storage) Bill, 2012

(v) The Building Control Bill, 2012

(vi) The Prohibition and Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010; 

(vii) The National Council for Older Persons Bill, 2010; 

(viii) The National Council for Disability (Amendment) Bill, 2010

(ix) The Uganda Communications Regulatory Authority Bill, 2012

(x) The Public Order Management Bill, 2011

(xi) The Free Zones Bill, 2012

The Office of the Prime Minister has also revitalized the strategic coordination role with improved implementation of various government priorities and emerging issues under the Presidential Investors' Round Table, Annual and Semi-Annual Cabinet Retreats on Government Performance, Government Engagement with Joint Budget Support Development Partners, et cetera.

I am also pleased to inform you that government of Uganda and the United Nations Country Team agreed on Modalities for High-Level engagement where the government of Uganda will provide increased and strategic oversight over the United Nations Programme in Uganda. Significant planning is already going on as part of the development of the Second National Development Plan.

We have also been able to secure Cabinet approval of critical policies for whole of government effectives such as the National Policy on Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation and the Partnership Policy.

I believe we are all proud of our achievements during the period I have served as prime minister. I must hasten to add that these achievements consolidated on the work of Right Honourable Apolo Nsibambi – my predecessor. I therefore hope that this progressive trend will be sustained.

The challenge ahead

But before I conclude, let me outline a few challenges that I would wish to leave with you Right Honourable as you assume office:

(i) Expedite the passage of pending Bills in Parliament.  I wish to highlight the urgency of the following: 

a) The Retirement Benefits Sector Liberalization Bill, 2011;  

b) The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill, 2007;  

c) The National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill, 2012; 

d) The Trade Licensing (Amendment) Bill, 2012

e) The Hotel and Tourism Training Institute Bill,2013; 

f) The Lotteries and Gaming Bill, 2013 and 

g) The Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Bill, 2014. 

(ii) Reduce the backlog on the Cabinet Agenda. Urgent Cabinet decision on some of the following is vital:

a) The Government White Paper on the Report of the Commission of Inquiry (Mismanagement of funds under Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) Principles for the Executive Orders Bill, 2013

b) The School feeding program for Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET) Programs

c) The Leadership Code Amendment Bill, 2014 

d) The Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2014 

e) Appointment of  Members of the Board of Directors of the National Forestry Authority 

f) The National Policy on East African Community Integration

g) The Investment Code (Amendment) Bill, 2014

h) The National Competition and Consumer Protection Policy

i) The National Diaspora Policy

j) Principles for Establishing the Uganda National Ambulance Services

k) The Uganda Development Corporation Bill, 2014

l) Five Bills relating to Sexual Offences 

(ii) Regarding the strategic coordination role of the Office of the Prime Minister, I wish to state that a consolidation of the progress made here should be sustained by seeing through the ongoing development of a National Coordination Policy.

This policy will strengthen the whole of government approach in the management of government business, the policy will foster sound and harmonized planning policy and planning, improve clarity in institutional mandates, roles and responsibilities; facilitate effective communication and consultation; and improve overall government effectiveness and regulatory quality. All this is vital for improved government delivery on political commitments and development plans.

(iii) The capacity for effective implementation of government policies and programmes must be strengthened. To do so, I urge you to continue taking forward the measures that cabinet approved for the improvement of public service.

Farewell

Today as we say goodbye – at least in the context of this handover – may I say that I hope I will be seeing you again and again. I know you too would say:  we'll see you again.

Today marks a beginning for all of us. I leave in good spirit. I leave the OPM family with humility and ever so grateful for the support you accorded to me. I thank you very much.

Right Honourable prime minister, I wish you success. I am available to support you as we have always done in the true spirit of the National Resistance Movement.  I ask of the civil servants to continue serving the prime minister, and indeed His Excellency the President, as you have always done in the past. I encourage you to always grow in your commitment to the true values and norms of public service.

You are making a vital contribution and you must always strive to do the best for your country. I advise you to desist from corrupt tendencies and learn to cherish honesty.

May God Bless you.

The author is NRM secretary general and former prime minister of Uganda.

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