Why President Museveni is right to appreciate Nabbanja

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OPINION

By Dr Lenard Nkalubo (PhD)

President Yoweri Museveni has on several occasions publicly appreciated Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, describing her as a hardworking and committed loyal cadre of the National Resistance Movement (NRM). While closing a retreat for district local leaders organised by Nabbanja at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi district, Museveni told the district local leaders, who included the district chairpersons, councillors and NRM district chairpersons, that he appointed Nabbanja Prime Minister because of her commitment and practical approach to service delivery.

The President re-echoed the same message last June at a thanksgiving ceremony for Nabbanja at Mpasaana Seed Secondary School in Kakumiro district. Museveni keeps to Nabbanja as a hands-on leader who solves problems in the country’s best interests.

While addressing the Parliament at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, after forming his government, Museveni explained that he ditched ‘intellectuals’ for ‘fishermen’, a metaphor for practical, hardworking people and placed Nabbanja in that category.

As an academic, I rarely comment on or get involved in partisan politics, but I decided to talk about Nabbanja because I am impressed by her convincing performance since she was appointed Prime Minister. No doubt the President made the right choice. As a Christian, I read the Bible, and I see President Museveni following the ways of Jesus Christ when he appointed his cabinet and called it the “fishermen cabinet”. Jesus appointed fishermen as part of his disciples because of their discipline, commitment and patience. Nabbanja, whom I have known in the early days as a secondary school teacher, sub-county councillor, deputy resident district commissioner, resident district commissioner and later a woman Member of Parliament, possesses those rare traits.

Nabbanja’s humble background is an inspiration to women. At one time, Nabbanja drove taxis and a lorry to earn a living. Such determination cannot be taken for granted.

Nabbanja’s visible performance as Prime Minister is not only noticed and appreciated by the President but also by Ugandans, including the opposition, who had downplayed her appointment, falsely thinking she was not going to perform. Interestingly, she has performed beyond everyone’s expectations.

Nabbanja is a Prime Minister who has focused her tenure on hands-on supervision of government projects, disaster response and coordinating service delivery. Her contributions are characterised by a field-based leadership style, aimed at reducing bureaucracy and ensuring accountability in the “fishermen's cabinet”.

Nabbanja supervises government projects by prioritising field visits to assess progress and ensure value for money. She hates corruption and the delay in completing government projects; this is why she sometimes clashes with ministers whose ministries are not following up with contractors to finish government projects on time.

In my opinion, the “fishermen cabinet” played a pivotal role in ensuring that government programmes, especially funds from the Parish Development Model (PDM), reach the people at the grassroots and helped Museveni to get a resounding victory of 71%, the percentage he last received in 1996 when he contested with Dr Paul Kawanga Semwogerere and others.

Many times, when I am upcountry, my people tell me that Nabbanja mobilised the community to participate in government programmes, including PDM and Emyooga, to create wealth. She has not only done this in Bunyoro, her home area, but has also travelled to various regions to encourage citizens to participate in wealth-creation initiatives.

Nabbanja has built three health centres at the health centre III level and an NRM office worth sh300m, using her personal resources. During the handover of the health facilities, the health ministry permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, described the gesture as ‘incredible’. That is the Nabbanja I am talking about. She is not selfish.

Many politicians across the country have invited her to their constituencies for help, and indeed she has always responded positively.

The first female Prime Minister of Uganda has traversed the countryside during byelections for both Members of Parliament and Local Council 5 chairpersons, as well as camps, until the elections are done. During the recently concluded general election, Nabbanja moved between different districts, campaigning for both the President and NRM flag-bearers and also successfully cajoled independent candidates to withdraw in favour of the flag-bearers.

I have not seen a Prime Minister who mingles well with the ordinary people like Nabbanja. I have seen her in public markets in both Kampala and upcountry, where she mixes well with the community. I have also seen her on roadsides sharing roasted maize with members of the community, a rare gesture that the community does not take for granted.

Nabbanja is a leader who supports all religions without segregation. She is close to the Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom, but as the Prime Minister of the country, Nabbanja coordinates well with all cultural institutions.

Nabbanja is an inspiration to many she meets, including taxi and bodaboda riders. Recently, I saw her engaging with the young people, encouraging them to join the Government in the fight against corruption.

I was not surprised when a global women’s power organisation in New York recognised her efforts and awarded her the African continental award for her dedication to governance as an inspirational leader. After receiving the award, Nabbanja asked why they were giving her the award, and they played a video showing her moving on a bodaboda in Kayunga district to meet the flood victims at Kawongo. This kind of service beyond self is a leadership special trait Nabbanja possesses.

Nabbanja is credited for monitoring government programmes, including Kampala capital city roads, where she has clashed with contractors over delays in completing road projects and also blames the Ministry of Works and Transport for slow land acquisition and the subsequent cost escalations.

The Prime Minister has criticised the ministry for starting projects without being fully prepared, resulting in penalties and stalled construction. This is what they call monitoring and supervision. As a result, Nabbanja faults the ministry for hiring foreign consultants, yet Ugandan technocrats can offer the same service without being paid and only requiring fuel. Local contractors salute Nabbanja for advocating that they are supported in doing government projects and building the economy.

As a leader of government business, Nabbanja has demonstrated her capacity in responding to concerns raised by MPs on the floor of Parliament. She has answered over 1,190 questions in the House. This proves that Nabbanja, as a leader of business, has created a good working relationship between Parliament and the Executive.

Nabbanja has ably represented President Yoweri Museveni at different international events, including the Italy-Africa Summit in Rome. She also addressed the UAE Uganda business in Abu Dhabi and the UK. This confidence shows the trust Museveni has in Nabbanja.

Therefore, I salute Museveni for identifying Nabbanja and appointing her Prime Minister. I also thank Nabbanja for not letting down the appointing authority and Ugandans. We are proud of you.

The writer is a senior don at Kyambogo University