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JNLC-JICA Symposium advocates for Inclusive Governance: Amplifies debate on revisiting African-style Governance
During the Julius Nyerere Leadership Training Centre (JNLC) in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) symposium held on 9th December 2025 at Makerere University, a strong voice emerged, as over 70 participants, advocated for inclusive governance. “No one should be left behind. For inclusive governance to take shape, everyone should be involved. Women and youth should be included and empowered to participate in, every stage of the governance cycle.”
Focusing on the theme, Revisiting African-style Governance: Fostering an Inclusive Society where Women and Youth can Thrive, the JNLC-JICA symposium provided a platform to the participants to discuss and critique western democracy, colonialism, patriarchy, cultural ideologies and practice, as well as, African-style democracy, through the following topics:
- Driving sustainable peace and growth in Africa: Realizing a society where women and youth can thrive
- The values and institutions of Inclusive African governance: From the perspectives of gender, generation and regionality
- The potential of African-style democracy and peace-building unleashed by women and youth.
The symposium presented to the participants an inter and cross generational flow of ideas from JICA experts and researchers, the Nomura Foundation, the JNLC leadership and experienced instructors, scholars from Makerere University Department of Political Science and Public Administration, young leaders, women, students and JNLC alumni.
The highly interactive symposium featured five sessions including the plenary, four sessions tackling to carefully selected topics aligned with the theme, and closing remarks, which provided a reflection and wrap-up. With each session having a chairperson, presenters, a discussant, and a question and answer segment, the participants listened, learned, discussed and exchanged ideas on inclusive governance.
To set the pace for the day’s engagement, the symposium kicked off, with a plenary session. Chaired by Dr. Julius Kiiza, an Associate Professor at Makerere University Department of Political Science and Public Administration, the powerful and informative session brought on board Mr. Yoichi Inoue-the JICA Uganda Chief Representative who delivered the opening remarks, two key note speakers namely Dr. Adem Seifudein and Ms. Jackline Nasiwa, and the discussant – Dr. Suzie Nansozi K. Muwanga-the Executive Director of the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre
Japan and Uganda: A Partnership for Shared Progress
Opening the symposium, Mr. Inoue Yoichi, Chief Representative of JICA Uganda, expressed gratitude for the collaboration, describing the partnership as a bridge between academic excellence and practical development. He highlighted Uganda’s governance, resilience, and education experiences as lessons for cross-regional learning with Japan and beyond.
“Uganda has long been a treasured development partner. JICA’s cooperation in Uganda spans many decades and covers a wide range of sectors. Together with our Ugandan counterparts, we have worked to build vital infrastructure, from roads that connect communities to electricity networks that power growth,” Mr. Yoichi said.
He emphasized the importance of youth engagement, noting their creativity and energy as critical to sustaining the symposium’s ideas.
“By including students and young professionals in our conversation, we ensure that this dialogue remains forward-looking, amplifies the voices of the next generation, and sustains the impact of the ideas shared at the symposium,” he stated.
Africa’s Youth and Women: Driving Change
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Adem Seifudein, Research Fellow at the JICA Ogata-Sadako Research Institute, focused on Numericalism as well as Female and Youth Empowerment in Africa. He highlighted that Africa’s youthful population—70% under the age of 30—is both a demographic majority and a global force yet to fully convert into political and developmental power.
“Destiny does not automatically translate into dividends. Empowerment must be deliberate, especially for women and the youth,” he guided, urging transformation that respects historical and cultural realities.
Dr. Adem emphasized youth roles in reimagining leadership, digital activism, and peacebuilding. “You are the ones who will advance the peace of tomorrow. The future of Africa- its governments, justice and peace, rests not in distant institutions, but in your hands, in your imagination, and in your actions. You are the peacebuilders,” he said.
African Women at the Forefront
Ms. Jackline Nasiwa, Executive Director of the Center for Inclusive Governance, Peace and Justice in South Sudan, highlighted the role of women and youth in governance, describing Africa’s youthful population as a source of innovation and civic engagement. She reaffirmed women’s contributions across peacebuilding, entrepreneurship, and leadership, citing pioneers such as Dr. Specioza Wandera Kazibwe – the first female Vice President in Africa, Dr. Wangari Maathai – First African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf – Africa’s first elected female head of state, Joyce Banda – Malawi’s first female president, and Ameenah Gurib-Fakim – Mauritius’ first female president.
“We need to celebrate our African women leaders because when women rise, nations rise,” Ms. Nasiwa declared.
She outlined reforms for inclusive governance: gender-sensitive systems, investment in education, economic empowerment, and leadership development for women and youth.
“The future of African governance and development depends on the empowerment of women and youth in every nation and community. When both are included, society becomes stronger, more united and resilient,” she said.
Unpacking Structural Barriers to Inclusion
Addressing the participants, Dr. Nansozi Muwanga pointed out some of the entrenched obstacles that sustain exclusion including limited access to decision-making spaces, the persistence of patronage politics, and social norms reinforcing gendered and generational hierarchies. She added that economic exclusion remains a critical, yet often an ignored constraint. With reference to Uganda’s political landscape, she stated that the high cost of contesting for leadership places meaningful participation beyond the reach of most of the young aspirants.
“In today’s Uganda, running for a political position requires enormous financial resources—often running into billions of shillings for posters, facilitation, and other campaign costs. Realistically, how many young people can raise that kind of money just to secure a chance at leadership?
Women at the Heart of Africa’s Governance Future
Dr. Nansozi K. Muwanga noted that although Africa’s population is both young and predominantly female, women remain underrepresented in governance. She highlighted the longstanding contributions of Ugandan women—from national speakers to cabinet leaders—and emphasized that the challenge has never been a lack of capable women, but rather their limited inclusion in governance structures in meaningful ways. She argued that excluding women and youth fundamentally undermines peacebuilding, economic transformation, and social cohesion.
Rethinking Governance through African Wisdom
Drawing from traditional African governance models, Dr. Nansozi K. Muwanga underscored the relevance of consensus-building and distributed leadership. She noted that African societies historically valued collective decision-making, involving elders, clans, women, and youth. She suggested that these indigenous principles offer lessons for modern leadership, particularly in designing systems that reflect demographic realities rather than sidelining them.
“Consensus-building which is collective decision-making is part and parcel of African traditional governance systems. The second is distributed leadership. By this we mean leadership is not vested in one person but in a network of elders, clans, women leaders, youth, and age-set structures spread across society and able to provide the guidance needed for governance,” she said.
Charting Pathways to Inclusive Governance
Dr. Nansozi K. Muwanga proposed pathways for building inclusive societies, including gender-responsive budgeting, genuine youth representation, strengthened decentralization, and transforming social norms through cultural and religious engagement. She emphasized cross-generational dialogue and economic empowerment; providing access to finance, market-linked skills, and support for youth-led enterprises—as essential for meaningful participation.
“Economic empowerment means supporting young entrepreneurs, skilling them in ways linked to labor markets rather than random training, and giving them access to finance—not only for supposedly important sectors but also for innovative ideas, for both young women and young men,” she remarked.
Dr. Muwanga argued that the path forward lies in reconnecting power to the very people it is intended to serve; young women and young men who make up the overwhelming majority of Africa’s population. For governance to be credible and sustainable, she noted, it must reflect the continent’s demographic and social realities.
Symposium Sessions
The symposium convened scholars, young leaders, civil society actors, and practitioners from Uganda, Japan, and beyond for three dialogue sessions that blended global perspectives with African realities, providing a platform to examine the structures, opportunities, and challenges shaping Africa’s peace and governance.
Session 1: Driving Sustainable Peace and Growth in Africa
Chaired by Associate Professor Paul Omach-Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Makerere University, the panel consisted of Ms. Hope Namulindwa, Ms. Dorothy Nakamya Namigadde, Mr. Denis Olupot, Dr. Anna Ninsiima, Dr. Hiroki Nakamura and Mr. Charles Tweheyo as the discussant.
The discussion examined how Africa can create a society where women and youth fully participate and thrive as equal partners in development. Speakers addressed the structural and economic pressures young people face especially unemployment and how these challenges influence political engagement, social stability, and innovation. Reflections also highlighted the increasing empowerment of young women in Uganda, linking their progress to the long-standing role of African women in peacebuilding and economic development. Overall, the session underscored women as historic and contemporary frontline actors, with today’s young women positioned as heirs to that legacy.
Session 2: The Values and Institutions of Inclusive African Governance
Chaired by Associate Professor Paul Omach, the panel consisted of Ms. Mary Sora Deng, Dr. Joel Isabirye, Mr. Charles Tweheyo, Mr. Takashi Nagutsuji and Dr. Natsuko Imai as the discussant.
The session examined how governance systems influence inclusion across gender, generation, and regional lines. Presenters noted the gradual rise of women in political leadership, while acknowledging that increased representation has not fully dismantled patriarchal norms. Drawing on historical East African practices that emphasized collective responsibility and community leadership, the discussion explored how modern institutions can connect generations, blend traditional and formal governance, and bring marginalized groups into national decision-making. The session emphasized that true inclusion must go beyond rhetoric—it requires intentional structures, resources, and meaningful reforms.
Session 3: Reimagining Democracy and Peacebuilding through Women and Youth
Chaired by Associate Professor Julius Kiiza, the panel consisted of Dr. Jackie Nakaiza, Mr. Mpamize Rwamigamba, Dr. Julius Niringiyimana, Dr. Natsuko Imai-Kaneyama, and Dr. Joel Isabirye as the discussant.
The final session focused on integrating women and youth into leadership, exploring concepts such as vanhucracy, and bridging traditional and modern governance. Presenters traced East Africa’s strides in including women in peace and security processes and reflected on why the youth political bloc, despite its numerical advantage has struggled to gain traction in regional governance structures.
Closing Remarks: Participants urged to continue the dialogue on inclusive governance
Dr. Justus Twesigye, Dean of the School of Social Sciences at Makerere University, stressed that peace, inclusive governance, values, and sustainable growth lie at the heart of humanities and social sciences and should not be overshadowed by emerging technologies.
Dr. Twesigye commended the organizers for their vision and leadership in convening the symposium and expressed confidence that the partnerships and insights gained would continue to advance governance, inclusion, and sustainable development across Africa.
Commending the participants upon their active participation in the symposium, Dr. Twesigye stated that the wonderful ideas and insights would be shared with the University management and key stakeholders for further action.
He called for continued dialogue through academic and digital platforms, highlighted the importance of mentoring youth, and reaffirmed the central role of women and young people in building an inclusive society.
On October 5, 2026, Makerere University welcomed Mrs. Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, the Deputy Inspector General of Government (DIGG) and her delegation for a courtesy visit ahead of the International Ombuds Day 2026 commemoration under the theme “Ombuds: Office of Options”.
The delegation was received by Professor Barnabas Nawangwe the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University in his office where they discussed the Ombuds Day theme, the university’s successful reconciliation-based conflict resolution, ongoing infrastructure projects, and a renewed commitment to institutional partnership.
Mrs. Twinomugisha Muhairwe, who also spoke as the President of the African Ombudsman and Mediators Association (AOMA), emphasised that her office aims to be a partner in building and strengthening public institutions rather than merely a critic. Therefore, this visit marked a big step in the evolving relationship between public institutions and the Office of the Ombudsman at the Inspectorate of Government, where it is headed by Director Kakooza Savio Ntensibe, who was also part of the delegation.
The DIGG shared that the office provides essential options for resolving grievances such as administrative injustice, where people feel victimised, and unheard.
Reconciliation Underscored
While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe, framed the visit as a turning point in the institution’s relationship with oversight bodies. He welcomed the DIGG, an alumna of Makerere, and commended the Ombuds methodology that prioritizes reconciliation as initiated by neutral persons or bodies to resolve disputes.
“The style of reconciliation has worked very well for us as well, ever since we started talking to the students, it has kept peace in the university,” the Vice Chancellor remarked.
“We started talking to the students and… eventually, they started to understand. Today, if you come and begin talking of strike, fellow students will tell you, ‘We came here to study’”, added the Vice Chancellor.
The engagement also discussed the practical realities of student welfare. Mrs. Twinomugisha Muhairwe, with specific interest, probed the Vice Chancellor on the status of hall renovations. In response, the Vice Chancellor explained the phased approach to renovations, noting that the university is systematically upgrading facilities to improve the living conditions.
The Vice Chancellor thereafter invited Mrs. Twinomugisha Muhairwe and her team to visit the university museum, as a gesture to underscore the spirit of the day where the Ombudsman and the university stand together.
About Ombuds Day
Ombuds Day is an international observance held annually on the second Thursday of October to raise public awareness of the ombuds profession.
According to the International Ombuds Association, an ombuds is an independent, neutral, and confidential professional who helps resolve disputes, investigate complaints, and address systemic issues within an organization, government agency, or institution.
Dr. James Magara, a futurist and Chairman of Yobel Biashara Initiative stood before an audience at Makerere University on September 30, 2026, and projected a map of the world. It was upside down.
He asked the room if anything was wrong, and as the audience hesitated, he revealed that “in 1569, the Flemish cartographer and geographer whose name was Gerardus Mercator, developed a map now known as the Mercator projection. It represented the curved shape of the Earth on a flat map.” He simplified it saying, the Mercator map accurately shows direction and local shape, but it distorts the size of places, especially those that are located near the poles. He pointed out that the map distorts the size of continents, making Greenland appear as large as Africa, when in reality, Africa is 14 times larger.
Fixing the map was easy and free, it took one vote, Dr Magara said, referencing the recent United Nations resolution that encouraged accurate area projections. Indeed fixing the map was easy but the actual material weight of this continent and its institutions that run within the world economy is why dialogues like this exist. “Until we (Africa) fund our own institutions ourselves, the continental agenda will keep belonging to whoever writes the check.”
This and more were part of Dr. Magara’s opening remarks while delivering a keynote at the YOBEL Biashara Conference 2026 hosted at Makerere University School of Public Health Auditorium.
The event, was co-hosted by the CASTLE Think Tank, YOBEL Biashara, and Makerere University under the theme: “Africa’s Agency in an Era of Geopolitical Change: Trade, Investment and Economic Transformation,” brought together a diverse assembly of policymakers, academics, and private sector leaders.
Representing Dr. Adam Mugume the Chief Guest who could not make it due to unavoidable circumstances, Ms. Doreen Katangaza, a researcher and economist at the Bank of Uganda (BoU) delivered his remarks while reflecting on Dr. Magara’s keynote.
She explained “what agency means in economic policy, is not isolation, it’s not withdrawal, but the capacity to choose, to negotiate, and to act.”
She emphasized that relying on external factors or rhetoric is insufficient for long-term transformation. Instead, she suggests that agency is defined by internal strength and the ability to act independently. As she states, “Africa’s agency will not only be secured by rhetoric. It will be built through capabilities. The capability to produce, the capability to finance development, capability to manage shocks and above all, capability to make choices based on our own long-term interests and people’s priorities.”
Ultimately, Ms. Katangaza aligned with all speakers mobilising for a holistic approach involving government, the private sector, and academia to build these foundations. She noted that the Bank of Uganda is committed to harmonising policies and payment systems to support this, but success depends on whether these ideas translate into tangible outcomes, such as stronger institutions and resilient economies, when stakeholders reconvene in the future.
She concluded by congratulating the YOBEL Biashara Initiative, CASTLE Think Tank, and Makerere University for organizing the forum “a platform for thoughtful discussion about Africa’s economic future.” She thanked all the speakers, all panelists, and participants for their valuable contribution and attention during her communication and entire event.
Cost of Institutional Dependence to the Continent
Dr. Magara’s address was his critique of the continent’s institutional funding. He pointed out that member states currently fund only 24% of the African Union’s own program budget. Charity begins at home, he stated. With 76% out of every dollar the African Union spends coming from partners outside the continent. He argued that this dependency is self-inflicted and fixable.
He advised that if we genuinely want a technology-creating continent, the work has to start in the primary school classroom, not in the university innovation hub. He added, while also highlighting that Africa’s research and development spending sits at 0.4 percent of GDP, far below the world average.
Dr. Magara also addressed the implementation gap that has affected the continent for decades. He suggested that the failure to execute on well-crafted strategies is not just a capacity problem, but a result of selfish interests within. Some people are benefiting from the way things are, he explained. So, if they change, they will lose the benefit.
As a futurist and leadership strategist, Dr. Magara used his keynote address to also dismantle some of the comfortable narratives often repeated in policy circles. He challenged the audience to reconsider the concept of agency, arguing that choice only becomes agency when backed by the capacity to act. He pushed back against the common narrative that Africa’s youth population is automatically a demographic dividend.
A youth bulge without a falling birth rate, without matching job creation is not a dividend, he warned. It is a dependency burden wearing dividends lobbying.
Dr. Magara said, “if you ask any panel anywhere on this continent why Africa has not industrialised, you will get the same three answers almost every single time. Not enough skills, not enough infrastructure, not enough finance. And all of this is true. All of it is real. None of it should be dismissed.” But none of those three answers explains a much stranger fact sitting right in front of us, “why have we been writing almost identical strategy documents, making almost identical recommendations for 30 years plus.”
He urged the room to be honest about the reality of the labor market, noting that every year, between 10 and 12 million Africans enter the labor market, while economies create roughly three million formal jobs. That gap cannot close itself, he stated. And it does not close by wishing it away in a policy document.
Engagement with Dr. Magara’s Keynote
The keynote featured significant engagement, primarily from Professor Pamela Mbabazi, Ms. Allen-Sophia Asiimwe, and Dr. Fred NK Muhumuza, who offered diverse perspectives that somewhat aligned with, and at certain points challenged his arguments.
Professor Pamela Mbabazi, Executive Chairperson of the National Planning Authority (NPA), offered a government perspective on the issues raised. She acknowledged the disconnect between some policy and deep thinking. Siding with Dr. Magara, there is a visible rush into making decisions without having deep thinking and engaging with amazing think tanks like YOBEL, CASTLE, she admitted.
She called for a more intentional approach to policymaking, urging think tanks to collaborate more closely with government bodies like the NPA. She explained that countries like China did not get to where they are by accident, they were intentional to include their think tanks into policy making and no decisions were made haphazardly.
Professor Mbabazi suggested that as a country and continent we can have our think tanks drive policy if we want to build a five-hundred-billion-dollar economy by 2040.
She concluded her submission joining Dr Magara in questioning whether Africa could credibly speak of strategic agency when the institutions through which agency is exercised remain substantially dependent on financing from elsewhere.
Allen Sophia Asiimwe the Deputy CEO/Chief of Programme at trademark Africa addressed the conference via zoom, and expressed she was happy “when Dr. Magara started off with a question on the size of Africa on the map and in reality, it matters.”
However, she challenged some of his assertions on financing. She requested to push back on this very strongly saying “If you look at how Africa is made up, a lot of our countries are still very poor,” arguing that the continent’s economic reality as of now requires external support.
With that said, she shifted the focus from external funding to internal inefficiencies, agreeing that Africa is sabotaging its own growth through non-tariff barriers, noting, “we are self-sabotaging. If we opened up for trade, if we allowed goods to cross the borders, we may actually make a big difference,” Ms. Asiimwe discussed.
Dr. Fred Muhumuza a prominent Ugandan development economist, senior lecturer, and policy advisor also engaged with the views on economic planning and indicators.
He agreed that think tanks are an issue, and that they must be embraced for the better. We must think about our problems, talk about them, and see what sense we make to ourselves.
Dr. Muhumuza questioned the premise that the source of financing is the primary issue, suggesting that the quality of the plan being financed is more critical.
Major General Gregory Mugisha Muntuyera, added his voice to Dr Magara’s arguing that beyond map size, Africa’s development is hindered not by a lack of potential, but by a mindset of dependency. Drawing a contrast to the conditioning of elephants in India mastered by small humans.
The General stated, “we have got the knowledge, we have got the qualifications, but we have been conditioned.”
He emphasized that true progress requires discipline for ” without this nothing is going to happen” regardless of how many conferences are held.
The Cost of a Broken System
Ms. Eseza Mulyagonja, a member of the YOBEL Biashara board, as one of the opening speakers, issued a strong reminder of the urgency required in addressing the continent’s challenges.
Ms. Mulyagonja shared a story so dear to her, of a young boy in a village who died after being bitten by a snake because he was not in school, for his fees were unpaid. She used this to illustrate the human cost of broken systems and advised that we do not have to wait for calamity to strike, since this is a story that is so common.
She said as a continent, we have got to confront these things saying if we do not bring these stories close to home, we will not be propelled to change the direction for the better.
MAKERERE-CASTLE-YOBEL A PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S TRANSFORMATION
Representing Professor Sarah Ssali, the First Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs, Professor Edward Bbaale the Principal College of Business and Management Sciences, emphasised the institution’s commitment to being an active partner in national and continental transformation acknowledging the global economic order is undergoing profound change, characterised by geopolitical realignment and an accelerating energy transition.
“These questions cannot be settled in just one conference. These are conversations that we’re going to have to continue even after here. So once again, I thank our chief guest, our keynote speaker, our discussants, our partners, the organizers, and every one of you who have made this time a meaningful time spent and made meaningful contributions to Africa’s future.
“The important question, therefore, is not simply how Africa will be affected by these changes, but how Africa will shape them”, Professor Bbaale remarked.
Crowning the remarks from the host institution, Makere University Chairperson of Council Dr. Lorna Magara appreciated everyone that was present for this noble conversation.
She said, “I trust that each of us leaves today with at least one idea that we are going to execute for the good of our continent.”
She proposed that the first item on the agenda of the YOBEL Biashara 2027 conference should be looking at the scorecard of what has been done to see that Africa increasingly moves from being a passive recipient of global economic decisions to becoming an active participant in shaping the rules, institutions, and partnerships that determine its development direction.
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