In his recent appointment as the State Minister for Trade, General Wilson Mbadi wasted no time in issuing a firm directive to both the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the staff of the Trade Ministry. Transitioning from his role as the Commander of the Defense Forces, Gen Mbadi emphasized a zero-tolerance policy towards incompetence and negligence.
Addressing the gathering at Farmer’s House in Kampala during the handover ceremony, General Mbadi expressed grave concerns over the apparent dysfunctionality within the UNBS. Despite its pivotal role in upholding market standards for domestic and export goods, the institution seemed mired in corruption and disorder, according to Mbadi.
The General’s move from a military to a political role echoes a growing trend of deploying serving officers into strategic governmental positions. This has sparked debates, with some attributing the President’s decision to his confidence in the military’s ability to deliver tangible results.
Despite acknowledging his limited technical expertise in trade and industry matters, Mbadi stressed his understanding of trade’s critical role in national security. He vowed to take decisive action to address the myriad of challenges facing the ministry, including internal conflicts, corruption allegations, and procurement irregularities.
Daniel Richard Makayi Nangalama, the acting UNBS Director, shed light on the issue of understaffing and inadequate funding, hampering their ability to carry out their mandate effectively. To enhance UNBS services, over 31 billion Shillings were urgently required, including funds for staff recruitment, decentralization projects, and operational needs.
In response to these challenges, General Mbadi remained resolute in his stance, while acknowledging the EU-funded project aimed at harmonizing standards for Uganda. Additionally, Francis Mwebesa, the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, highlighted internal issues within the ministry, including staff underperformance and absenteeism.
With the appointment of General Mbadi, there’s an expectation of revitalization within the ministry. Mwebesa emphasized the need for stricter measures, including implementing a biometric clocking-in system and exploring payment based on task completion time.
Geraldine Ssali, the Permanent Secretary, outlined the ministry’s critical role in revenue generation despite facing funding shortages. She detailed key priorities and the need to deploy Commercial Attaches to strategic markets, albeit at a considerable cost.
Gen Mbadi, in his observation, noted the importance of trade attaches in promoting economic interests, pointing out deficiencies in Uganda’s embassies’ staffing. Mwebesa assigned additional tasks to the minister, including resolving conflicts between ministries and addressing banking and commerce establishment issues.
In his new role, Gen. Mbadi succeeds Ntabazi Harriet, who urged him to familiarize himself with existing policies and build on the ministry’s successes. As Gen. Mbadi takes the helm, there’s optimism for a renewed vigor in addressing trade-related challenges and leveraging opportunities for economic growth.
