Business & Management
Uganda’s Civil Servants retooled on Urban Water Observatories
Uganda’s senior public servants in the water sector and the academia from Makerere University have been skilled on Urban Water observatories.
The half day training held at Makerere University on 5th April, 2023 was facilitated by Dr. David Fuente from the University of South Carolina USA.
Dr. Fuente was at Makerere University to kick off the collaborative project with his colleagues Dr. Nicholas Kilimani and Prof. Edward Bbaale focusing on Urban Water Supply and the Challenge of Bill Payment and Affordability and, also to facilitate a workshop on Urban Water Observatories project within the EfD Network focused on Urban Water Scarcity and Equity.
The goal of the workshop was to have a dialogue with a variety of stakeholders from the water sector in Uganda to understand the challenges they perceive with respect to providing resilient and equitable water and sanitation services.
The other objectives were to understand the opportunities they perceive given the strength among the various stakeholders and how policy makers and stakeholders are thinking about priorities within the water sector, what actions they can take to promote access to resilient water and sanitation services, and which procedure has been difficult or easy.
Having facilitated these dialogues in four different countries, Dr. Fuente said perceived challenges from Uganda’s stake holders like sector coordination, insufficient resources to meet resilient and adequate water and sanitation services, the challenge of affordability, communication both within the governments, sector entities and across the Civil Society Organisations were not unique to Uganda’s context
“What I found particularly inspiring is the stakeholders sharing a number of strength that exist in Uganda including emerging and improved coordination among sector players, competent and committed staff and government agencies committed to improving service delivery.
Additional strengths highlighted were the strong institutional and legal framework to support development in the water sector and so the policies are in place and it is a matter of merging the policies and resources to leverage on the objectives that government has set which was so inspiring”. He explained.
Another insight from the meeting was that many of the policy instruments or policy actions that the government and policy makers partake were perceived as potentially of high impact but difficult to implement.
Much of the low hanging fruits according to Dr. Fuente have been taken care of and the steps that are needed to get forward are going to be challenging to implement.
“The positive side of this is that, it was interesting to see that many of the stakeholders perceived a wide range of policy actions and policy instruments that could be implemented to improve resilient water and sanitation services delivery being potentially impactful.
From EfD perspective, there is a real opportunity for the EfD-Mak and the EfD Network to help sector players martial evidence to help them understand which policy instrument is likely to be very effective given the institutional context here in Uganda”. Dr. Fuente commented adding that:
“I sense real optimism, commitment to improving the situation on the ground and high level of engagement and interest. I hope the stakeholders and EfD Mak continue with the conversation we started and identify which ways they can partner to develop high impact research opportunities and pursue together”.
The Director EfD-Mak Centre Prof. Edward Bbaale said this was just a start of the collaboration.
“The university cannot exist, if it does not impact society and if it does not solve problems that society is facing at that particularly time. And so, as EfD and Makerere University, our gates are open for you to come in but also our gates are open for us to get out and reach out to you and in many of the cases, we shall be calling on you wherever you are. And the main objective of our coming is how do we twin and join efforts to find a lasting solutions”.
Bbaale stressed that whereas donors are interested in supporting research, research that is impactful is that one that is a collaboration between stakeholders and the academia.
Participants commend the workshop
“The workshop brings in an interface for a dialogue so that we are able to look at how we translate the science into water supply service provision and ensure that there is sustainability. We were talking about how we ensure social equity, how do we ensure that there is water for all as a human right?
Yet again, translating the science will ensure that we are able to put in place policies, having the right science of how situations are happening, talking about climate change, degradation, high population growth rate and how all these inform policy”, David Cheptoi , Engineer from the Ministry of Water and Environment said.
“This workshop has been so helpful because it has been able to bring various policy makers and different NGOs to discuss issues concerning urban water tariffs, policies as well as what we need to know for our future when it comes to water. It has addressed how issues of scarcity, policies and coordination can pave way for how we can work together to solve water issues”, Kasimire Susan a lead engineer from Water Mission Uganda said.
“I am glad to have participated in this workshop because it has opened my brain to see how the academia is fully involved in championing cause towards impactful research to help society. My main take home message is how we can build partnerships with the academia, private sector and government and conduct innovative policy research that can be impactful to the communities that we serve. This is a step in the right direction because it will improve coordination among all actors”, James Mumbere from Uganda Water and Sanitation Network said.
Kizza Denis Benkya is a student of the Master of Science in Agriculture and Applied Economics. He said:
“It has given me insight on how government and the private sector can amend policies to do with water and environmental conservation. For us to have safe water supply in our country, we need a synergy of efforts with government taking lead and joined by non-governmental organizations and individuals who use water.”
Business & Management
Government Officials Equipped with Critical Skills in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis
A two-week intensive training in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis for government officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) concluded today April 11, 2025 at the Pearl on the Nile Hotel in Jinja. The training, delivered under the Programme on Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis (PIAR) and spearheaded by the Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University, sought to bridge long-standing capacity gaps in the preparation, appraisal, and review of public sector projects.
The event was officially closed by Dr. Hennery Ssebukeera, representing the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Dr. Ssebukeera highlighted that the training was designed in response to a comprehensive needs assessment, which revealed persistent gaps in government officers’ abilities to carry out cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analyses, and to prepare or assess pre-feasibility and feasibility studies.
“Many government projects have not been properly appraised due to limited internal capacity,” Dr. Ssebukeera stated. “Too often, we rely on external consultants to prepare feasibility studies, yet our officers are not adequately equipped to interrogate or validate those studies.” He expressed confidence that participants now possess practical skills to analyze topics such as risk analysis, financial modelling, discount rates, project finance, and consumer surplus. “You are now in a position to not only prepare but also critically evaluate complex project documentation,” he added.
Ms. Esther Ayebare, Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Public Investment Management Department at MoFPED, acknowledged the participants’ dedication and active engagement. “As the unit that hosts the Development Committee, we are pleased that this training has added critical skills to help you prepare and submit viable public projects,” she said, calling on the participants to be part of building a sustainable pipeline of investment-ready projects.
In his remarks, Dr. John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, emphasized that this training is only the beginning. “While we’ve now completed the financial appraisal component, the next step is Economic Appraisal and Stakeholder Analysis—where we evaluate a project’s broader impact on society and the economy,” he said. He also extended appreciation to the Government of Uganda, particularly MoFPED, for funding the training, as well as to Ms. Esther Ayebare and other facilitators for their unwavering commitment.
Prof. Eria Hisali, who represented the Principal of the College of Business and Management Sciences, praised the participants for navigating what would typically be a semester-long course within just two weeks. “This is a practical, work-oriented training. The knowledge you’ve gained here should be applicable immediately,” he said. He further invited the graduates to attend the upcoming Public Investment Management Conference in August 2025 to share their experiences and provide feedback.
Participants also expressed their gratitude. One quoted the Quran, saying, “Whoever gives you knowledge has given you everything,” in appreciation of the facilitators and the opportunity to learn.
The PIAR program, jointly implemented by Makerere University, MoFPED, the National Planning Authority (NPA), and Cambridge Resources International (CRI), includes two modules: the just-completed Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis, and the upcoming Economic Appraisal and Stakeholder Analysis. As Uganda continues to push for better value from public investments, trainings like this are building a critical mass of experts who will ensure that every shilling invested delivers real impact.
Business & Management
Makerere and MoFPED Resume Training of Government Officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University has resumed its in-depth training program for government officials in Financial Appraisal and Risk Analysis. The two-week training, held in Jinja, brings together public officers from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across Uganda.
The training was officially opened by Ms. Esther Ayebare, who represented the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). She emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening public sector capacity under the Public Investment Management System (PIMS) framework.
Ms. Ayebare underscored the importance of the training in building the technical capacity required for sound investment decision-making. “This training will empower you to make informed decisions, assess financial viability, and identify risks that could impact investment outcomes,” she noted.
Professor Edward Bbaale, Principal Investigator of the PIM CoE, he expressed appreciation to MoFPED for its financial support and strategic collaboration in organizing the training and nominating participants. “Your continued support is instrumental in enhancing the skills and capacity of government workers in Public Investment Management,” he said. He further acknowledged the role of Vice Chancellors, Permanent Secretaries, and CAOs in nominating participants and reaffirmed Makerere’s commitment to delivering transformative learning through a blend of theory and hands-on project appraisal.
Participants in the training will engage with real-world projects in sectors such as roads, health, energy, and education. Upon successful completion, they will receive a prestigious tripartite certificate from Makerere University, MoFPED, and Queen’s University in Canada.
The training features facilitators from Cambridge Resources International, the International Growth Centre, the National Planning Authority, and MoFPED, offering a curriculum rooted in global best practices.
Participants were encouraged to not only apply the knowledge in their respective roles but also to mentor colleagues, thereby broadening the reach and impact of the program.
The PIM CoE continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Uganda’s public investment landscape through research, advisory services, and outreach. Recent milestones include the revision of the Development Committee guidelines and the convening of a national PIM conference in October 2024.
With the resumption of this training, Uganda takes yet another step toward fostering a skilled public sector capable of steering high-impact investments for sustainable national development.
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