As you will recall that my appointment was based on a letter by H. E. the President, dated 24th November, 2020 to the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; where the recruitment process was conducted Public Service Commission for implemention. I was interviewed by Public Service Commission and found competent before being appointed as a Deputy Director General (DDG) of Uganda Investment Authority (UIA). I commenced work on 2nd January 2021 with Mzee Byensi Bakairwa Lawrence who was the Acting Director General then, following, some period of leadership instability at UIA.
During my tenure as DDG, I have made outstanding contribution to UIA. When I joined UIA in January 2021, I set four targets to achieve with UIA leadership team. The four targets were: i) streamlining strategy, policy and management systems and procedures; ii) improving staff welfare; iii) improving effectiveness and efficiency in delivery of investor-centred services to double the value of both domestic and foreign direct investments and, iv) improving resource envelop to better deliver on UIA mandate. I would like to report that under the leadership and support of the Ministers, the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the treasury and the UIA Board, the following has been achieved, in the four areas of my targets as second in command investment chief:
i)streamlining strategy, policy and management systems and procedures
This was my first assignment as a Deputy Director General incharge of technical directorates. In the first six months, we reviewed and approved a performance-based strategic plan, human resource policy and established a results-based planning and performance targets for all directorates. This created institutional stability and hope in staff, with focus on results which we have been achieving as a team. The strategy and clear results framework has guided UIA investment agenda in attracting and facilitating high value and targeted investors to Uganda and has earned Uganda the award of the best investment destination in East Africa and Africa in the last two years respectively.
ii) Improving staffing and staff welfare to deliver on UIA mandate
When I reported at UIA on 2nd January 2021, many of the staff worked up to 1:00pm and went back home for lunch and others returned at 3:00pm to office since they would move out of office to look for lunch. Some staff would have popcorn and dry tea for both break-tea and lunch. Why all this? There was no provision of lunch at work place and lunch allowance was rarely paid out due to limited budget releases from government. Also the staff salaries were very low, compared to all agencies and a few staff were able to make savings at the end of the month to afford lunch. This was exacerbated by staff work overload due to limited staffing and depleted fleet.
I provided leadership for resource mobilisation for staff recruitment and staff welfare from the Ministry of Finance, with support of our Acting Director General, Mzee Byensi Lawrence and the Board Chairman, Dr. Emily Kugonza. Today, UIA staff are provided with lunch at work place, earn fairly competitive salaries and gratuity, have procured brand new vehicles to reach-out investors and promote Uganda as a preferred investment destination in Africa and the world. A new staff establishment was approved by the Board and additional staff have been recruited. The UIA staff are highly motivated, hardworking and effectively represent Uganda as a competitive brand.
iii) Improving effectiveness and efficiency in delivery of investor-centred services to double the value of both domestic and foreign direct investments
I spearheaded resource mobilisation from Ministry of Finance and partnership with USAID to support preparation of regional investment profiles to aid preparation of compendium investment opportunities every year as well as preparation of bankable projects for both domestic foreign investors. The profiles are and bankable projects are used to promote investment opportunities in Uganda and are accessible on the UIA website www.ugandainvest.go.ug under the link “investment opportunities”.
With guidance and support from Mzee Hon. Alhaji Moses Kigongo the Vice-Chairman of NRM, UIA engaged the KACITA group and arcade owners to take up opportunities provided by government in form of free land and tax incentives to become industrialists. Today, over 60% of operators in the industrial parks are local investors most of whom were (and some are) traders and arcade owners. As a supervisor of SME Division, with support of Madam Winnie Lawoko-Olwe, we developed a strategy after a two days retreat that transformed the SME division to a Domestic Investment Division. Today, the division is very vibrant with transforming SMEs to large domestic investors and creating linkages between local investors and foreign investors. The Domestic Investment Division also supports profiling of SMEs to the national SME portal platform https://mybusiness.go.ug for access to business partners, affordable finance, market, business development service providers among others.
With a presidential directive to improve efficiency in investor support services, in May, 2021, I led a team of One Stop Centre (OSC) under Mr. Kigundu Joseph to create an efficient UIA structure and on-line system where investors can easily apply and a team at UIA are able to review the investor licensing application and approve it within less than eight (8)hours. Today, we have an efficient investor service team for timely response to investor inquiries and investment licensing from 48 hours in 2021 to 24 hours in 2022, and today, taking two (2) hours; when the investor submits all the basic required information to the investment licensing on-line platform https://www.ebiz.go.ug
d) Improving resource envelop to better deliver on UIA mandate
To finance the above three targets, I provided leadership with support of management and the Board and obtained funding from Ministry of Finance, planning and Economic Development which has increased UIA budget, including direct financing of projects by Ministry of Fiance. The staff welfare, better salaries, increased staffing, new vehicle fleet as well as financing of infrastructure in industrial parks is credited to government of Uganda increased financing to UIA.
I lobbied for project based financing from UAID Economic Activity Program to support establishment of the National SME-portal as well as creating profiles of domestic investors and regional profiling and development of value chains to promote domestic investment and attract foreign investors. The profiles facilitate visibility and marketability of local investments.
Prepared by;
Dr. KYALIMPA Paul, PhD
DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL (Outgoing), Uganda Investment Authority
UPM/NRA/NRM Historical and National Mobiliser and Nalubaale Medalist
Honorary Mayor, City of Baton Rouge, USA
Business and Leadership Fellow
