New Year resolutions: What your leaders are planning

Key messages from some leaders on what they envisage in 2020. As the world celebrated the end of 2019 and welcomed the New Year yesterday, New Vision sought different leaders' resolutions for 2020. Betty Amamukirori and Moses Mulondo bring you their resolutions:

Beti Kamya, lands minister
I wish my successor peace as she executes her mandate as Minister for Kampala. In my new ministry, where I have been transferred, I hope to work with the team there to address the challenges the sector is facing. 

Beti Olive Kamya

 
I eagerly wait for Catherine Bamugemereire's probe report. We shall implement the recommendations in the report to address land issues.

I ask Ugandans in order to work together, to love our country and be peaceful. 
 

Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, former chancellor Makerere University
I look forward to a peaceful and prosperous New Year where the people of Uganda can have liberty, freedom, and peace to go about their businesses to improve their well-being. I also look to peaceful electoral processes.

Prof. Mondo Kagonyera

 
As you know, party primaries are about to be held, and I hope the NRM primaries will be free and fair. Education is key in the development of our country and I would want to see improvements in education standards.

I want to see that the products we produce are appropriately prepared for the job market.

Godfrey Kiwanda, Minister of State for Tourism
In 2020 our target is to hit 2.5 million visitors to the country. The numbers currently stand at two million.

Our original plan was to target four million visitors, but due to some hiccups, we want to attract 2.5 million visitors this year. We want to bring tourism as close to Ugandans as possible.

Godfrey Kiwanda

 
We believe once Ugandans understand and appreciate the tourism industry, they will be able to market it. Lastly, our plan is to bring cohesion between the ministry and other tourism bodies, such as the Uganda Tourism Board, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre and all the other agencies.

We should all work together.

Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana, executive director Foundation for Human Rights Initiative

In 2020 I will continue to fight for human rights for all people, irrespective of their status and social origins.

Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana

I will continue to be a voice for the voiceless and to promote the ideals that people have fought for the ideals of freedom, equality, justice and fairness for all.
 

Matia Kasaija, finance minister
Let us keep peace even as we engage in politicking. Insulting each other and fi rights should be avoided.

Uganda belongs to all of us. I foresee a major shift in the economy. We have received adequate rainfall. The agriculture sector will perform well in 2020.

Matia Kasaija

 
My concern, where I want more efforts in 2020, is the high rate of poverty in some of our communities. I appeal to political leaders from those areas to educate their voters on how to come out of poverty.

Let every household do something to bring them an income. I urge all Ugandans to be hardworking.
 

Denis Obua, sports minister-designate
Uganda will continue to shine in the various sporting disciplines in the region, on the continent and internationally. 

I ask the various stakeholders, including the Executive, Parliament, local government, private sector, state agencies and sports fans to work together in order to take our sports competitions to greater heights in 2020.

 
Sports activities unite Ugandans. When we win, we celebrate together.

If all the stakeholders work together, we shall keep climbing in the global rankings.  

 

 

 Simon Peter Kinobe, president of Uganda Law Society 

My resolution for 2020 is to greatly contribute to the political landscape.

I am going to stop complaining about leaders and instead be part of the solution.

I also plan to build a proficient law firm as I exit the law society. 

 

 Muruli Mukasa, Minister of Public Service
I wish Ugandans a prosperous year, involving working hard to improve service delivery.

Our priorities in 2020 as a ministry will be pursuing the enhancement of salaries for civil servants and ensuring that all shortcomings in our systems are rectifi ed.

We plan to introduce a new Bill regarding the pension sector. We are in the advanced stages of drafting the Bill.

Plans are also underway to complete building consensus in Cabinet on the steps to be taken to downsize government and have some entities doing related work merged so as to reduce the high cost of public administration.

Our target is to have these plans, including the necessary legal framework executed in 2020
 

Tina Musuya, executive director Centre for Domestic Violence Prevention
In 2020, health is a priority. I will do everything possible including exercising, sleep, rest and loving myself more to ensure that I am healthy. It is only when you are well that you can do other things.

My second resolution is to work for women's rights. I am going to be strategic in creating the much-needed activism among individuals and communities regarding promoting the rights of women and protecting their rights every day
 

Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, former presidential contestant
In 2020, I will work towards a better Uganda. I am going to put much time into doing things that impact the country.

Baryamureeba

 
I have been only doing things that benefi t me, but now that I am in my 50s, it's time to give back.

 

Medard  Bitekyerezo, NDA board chairman
We have opened war on counterfeit drugs and we will continue the fight. Secondly, we believe that drugs bought by Ugandans should be used in and by Uganda.

We will ensure that we clamp down on people who smuggle government drugs to other countries like Congo.

Medard Bitekyerezo

 
Lastly, we are building a modern laboratory and we hope to complete it by 2020. This will test all drugs that come into the country.

Our goal is to see both humans and animals take genuine medicines.

 

 Louis Kasekende, deputy governor Bank of Uganda
The economy has gone through some slower growth in 2019.

We are also projecting that in 2020, we shall have a slightly slower economic growth.

 
But 2020 is likely to be a much better year than 2019. As the central bank, we shall keep inflation within the range of 5%.

We will be taking appropriate measures to ensure macro-economic stability.

 


Matia Kasaija, finance minister
Let us keep peace even as we engage in politicking. Insulting each other and fi ghts should be avoided. Uganda belongs to all of us. I foresee a major shift in the economy. We have received adequate rainfall.

The agriculture sector will perform well in 2020. My concern, where I want more efforts in 2020, is the high rate of poverty in some of our communities.

Matia Kasaija

I appeal to political leaders from those areas to educate their voters on how to come out of poverty. Let every household do something to bring them an income.

I urge all Ugandans to be hardworking.

 
Gerald Abila, executive director Barefoot Law
Every end of the year, I like to have an "AGM" with myself to evaluate the year and make goals for the next. I try not to make very complex and many goals.

I like to keep it simple and achievable. Action! That is my goal for 2020. To take deliberate steps in turning ideas into actuality.

This is for both my personal and professional life.

 
Dolibondo, comedian As a comedian
I am looking at generating offstage content. Many of us focus only on-=stage content, yet there are a lot of opportunities for offstage content. I am also looking at making my annual comedy show — camp comedy — bigger and better. In 2020, I want to make my daughter's life better.  I want to ensure that whatever decision I make impacts both of us positively.
 

Pastor Wilson Bugembe
My plan is to finish the church, if possible, by 2020 and expand the parking area to accommodate the increasing numbers.

Pastor Wilson Bugembe

 
My second plan is to expand the worship night ceremony and hold it in a number of cities across the country. I also plan to do Celebrity Sundays. 

Through these, I hope to win as many souls as possible to Jesus. My passion is also to reach out to orphans and widows.
 

Betty Aol Ocan, Leader of Opposition
I pray that in 2020, we shall all work for the good of our country and put aside selfi sh interests. I wish that all stakeholders, especially the Executive and Parliament, ensure that 2020/2021 national budget will be pro-people.

More funds should be allocated to the agriculture, health, tourism and education sectors because they directly affect the sociaeconomic welfare of Ugandans.

Betty Aol Ocan

 
We want the Government and Parliament to be committed to the passing of all the necessary electoral reforms that  Ugandans have been demanding.

It is also my wish that in 2020, the Government will implement the minimum wage law in order to address the exploitation of Uganda workers.

 Pastor Simeon Kayiwa, Namirembe Christian Fellowship
One of the greatest discoveries of my life is Jesus Christ's legacy of operating his church in a supernatural way.

It is my mission to bring that out to the people. To bring out that a person can pray and God can respond. 

 
He is observable, reliable and can be proved as something that can only happen supernaturally not scientifically.

I want to prove and make sure that people know that a believer is an intelligent person. Many people think it is silly to depend on somebody unseen concerning your life.

 
Ykee Bender, musician
My plan for 2020 is just one — growth. I am looking at growth in terms of fi nance, physically and emotionally. I am looking at improving my work ethics, communication skills, spiritual life and listening more to God's word.