New NPA deputy takes charge at a critical moment

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When the National Planning Authority quietly announced a new deputy executive director this week, the decision signalled more than a routine leadership change. It pointed to a moment of transition, one where experience, policy depth, and institutional memory are expected to shape the country’s next phase of development planning.

Dr Rogers Matte, an economist and public policy expert with a long track record in government and academia, has been appointed to the role, stepping into a position that became vacant following a retirement, according to a statement issued by the authority.

For those familiar with Uganda’s planning landscape, Matte is not a new face. Within the NPA, he has served as senior manager for research and development performance, a role that placed him at the centre of policy analysis, research coordination, and performance monitoring. It is the kind of work that rarely draws public attention, but quietly shapes how national priorities are defined and measured.

His career has moved between institutions that sit at the core of Uganda’s policy ecosystem. He represented Ntoroko County in Parliament between 2001 and 2006, later contributing to the implementation of the National Population Policy at the Population Secretariat. In academia, he has taught macroeconomics at Kyambogo University, adding a layer of theoretical grounding to his public service experience.

Taken together, it is a profile that blends politics, policy, and research—an intersection increasingly important for an institution tasked with long-term national planning.

Charles Musana, the NPA’s manager for information advocacy and public relations, framed the appointment in those terms. He described Dr Matte as “a seasoned professional with extensive experience in development planning and economic policy,” noting that his background positions him to support the authority’s expanding mandate.

That mandate has grown more complex in recent years. The NPA is currently at the centre of implementing Uganda’s Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), alongside the Tenfold Growth Strategy and the long-term Vision 2040 framework. These are not just policy documents—they are blueprints for how Uganda intends to transform its economy, expand opportunity, and manage demographic pressures over the coming decades.

In that context, leadership choices carry weight. Matte’s appointment comes as NPA navigates both continuity and change—balancing existing development priorities with new responsibilities introduced under recent legislative amendments. The expansion of its role into population and physical planning reflects a broader shift toward more integrated, cross-sectoral policymaking.

The announcement also included a series of internal appointments, signalling a wider reshuffle within the institution.

Dr Winnie Nabiddo has been assigned duties as senior manager for research and development performance, while Richard Wansambo takes on the role of manager for regional, urban and local government planning. Dhikusooka Gyaviira has been named acting manager for evaluations and compliance, alongside new roles for Kasaijja Ronald and Katumba Emmanuel Ssenkeezi in economic governance and communications.

Musana congratulated the appointees, expressing confidence in their ability to deliver as they step into their new responsibilities.

At one level, the changes reflect routine institutional evolution. At another, they underscore that planning is no longer just about drafting policy—it is about managing complexity.

Economic growth, population dynamics, urban expansion, and governance reforms are increasingly intertwined. The role of the NPA, and those who lead it, is to bring coherence to that complexity.

For Dr Matte, the task now shifts from supporting that process to helping steer it.