'Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else'

By Dr John W Bahana


The image of Uganda Civil Service as a corrupt, inefficient and ineffective arm of government has been the loud whisper all around.  It is a major factor in Uganda's unenviable high position on World ranking of most corrupt nations.

This fact has only been knows to keen observers and those that have access to media. But when recently the presidential candidates hit the campaign trail, the worst exposure of our gross inefficiency and corruption came to light. Rotting hospitals were shown live on screens, though it has always been common knowledge.

"Mama ingia pole" so called police offices that are simply poorly grass thatched shacks were shown to the disgust of many Ugandans. Pot holed roads, impassable roads; primary schools under trees for lack of buildings became common sights on our screens. And the current president took the flak.

Really? Must it take a president to build decent housing units for our police and army officers? Does it require a president to run our hospitals? Of course the simple answer is that funds are diverted and no one is taken to task. I think the malaise is deeper.

I have had nasty experience with our civil service in dealing with what I had mistakenly thought was a simple matter and the experience has left me raging with anger, tears welling in my eyes and engrossed with the feeling of shame that we could have sunk so low.

But, out of the jaded skies, perhaps there is a ray of hope. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MFPED) led by the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury, Keith Muhakanizi; gave me some optimism, a kind of thin blade of grass to hang on while drowning in this deep sea of shame.

Over the past three weeks I have been chasing an issue that took me to the MFPED offices virtually every day and for many hours of each of these days. It is something that in otherwise efficient systems would have taken at most two days. But nearly four weeks later, I am still grappling with the problem, searching for a solution.

On one of the days at MFPED, I was early at 7:30 am at the lifts area when a gentleman, smart in a brown suit approached me asking if I worked at the offices. I pointed him to the police desk. He was given directions to his destination offices and together we climbed up to the 7th Floor which houses the offices of the Ministers and the PS/ST. We held small talk even before we identified ourselves to each other.

The gentleman talked of what he admired about the Ministry; timeliness of reporting, smart and courteous secretaries and the general ambience of the offices. He wished that his Moroto and Kotido where he works in would exhibit, even if a mere fraction, the same work ethics and energy in executing their work.  I was still intently listening to him when he quickly was ushered into the office of the PS, with the courtesy that left me with good feelings, despite my frustrations of my own surrounding what I was chasing.

Keith Muhakanizi, ever smiling, is an amiable personality. While I was at the Ministry, Keith, I hope he permits me to use his first name, acts as his own usher. While in his office, he holds you spell bound with stories that clearly will help ease your problems however heavy or however small the solution to your issues he may offer. By the time you leave, you may seethe inside that you are no better off than when you came to him but at least you will not blame it on him.

Muhakanizi, in one of his soothing stories,  tells me of the tales of Educationist, the late Biryabarema, who held that since you are unlikely to enter the history books for doing nothing, at least destroy something, even if somebody else build it. How is that for Idd Amin, the once life president of this country? We certainly know much more about him than presidents Godfrey Binaisa or Prof Lule who were scores of times more educated and experienced as managers. They tried to build. He simply destroyed.

Peter F. Drucker, Author and Management Expert wrote: "Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else." That I have cited above says it like no other.

Keith's MFPED, like a clock work, starts at 7:30 am and closes for business well past 6:00pm. Some of the secretaries live as far away as 16km past Mukono but they report on time. What motivates then that staff in other ministries cannot emulate? Down at the lifts area, the LCD screen informs you of the Ministry's Mission, Objectives and Goals, the week's activities and their expected outputs.

Visit other ministries of government, no such screens exist or if they do, they are showing ki Nigeria films, CNN or such entertainment buzz world. In neighbouring Kenya and Rwanda, the environ of a government department will offer a visitor free access to internet so you can also access any information of the services available.

God help you when you visit OPM. First you may wait there until midnight before you see the Prime Minister. Even to get a cup of tea to kill time while waiting, may take you a lot of cajoling and certainly no free access to internet.

Keith may even brag that his ministry runs like a business or even better than many Ugandan enterprises. I may agree.  If only, government would take a clue from author Drucker, who again wrote:

 "Because the purpose of business is to create a customer, the business enterprise has two — and only two — basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results; all the rest are costs. Marketing is the distinguishing, unique function of the business."

Last month (January), Apple Inc announced the results for its fiscal 2016 first quarter ended December 26, 2015. The Company posted record quarterly revenue of $75.9b and record quarterly net income of $18.4b. International sales accounted for 66% of the quarter's revenue. Uganda's GDP is only about $22.0b. But what was the source of Apple's gross revenues? Marketing and innovation!

Is there a lesson for Uganda? There are some departments and agencies of government whose managers I have had the misfortune to encounter that clearly drag down efficiency. No wonder then that Businesses try to overcome this lethargic challenge by bribing the managers.  It appears to me therefore, that corruption and inefficiency are interrelated

"So what is the source of Apple's success? Not finance.  Finance is important, but it does not create the gross revenues that make up the first line of the Profit and Loss account. Neither is it production or management. And it is not merely the work of your outstanding sales force. It is marketing. Which raises the question, "What is marketing, and what is its purpose?"

Can public service use this dictum to improve its efficiency of output delivery? Whether these departments or agenicies of government are profit oriented, which they are not, they must act like businesses for out puts are their profits declared to the public. Whether you go by the name NAADS or Wealth Creation or whatever else, please serve the public with efficiency not building a huge wall of bureaucracy.

And so my salutations to Keith and his team. At least there is evidence they are trying hard.

The writer is an Agriculture consultant