INSPIRING LEADERS FOR TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE: CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS REFLECTION MEETING

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Patricia Munabi Babiiha, Executive Director of FOWODE, was one of the Civil society leaders that gathered for the leaders quarterly reflection meeting on 11 February 2014. The CSO leaders fora are convened by the Uganda National NGO forum and provide a space for leaders to discuss the pertaining challenges to CSO work, ruminate on ways in which their work can be enhanced and lay strategies for improved delivery that can translate into transformation for the citizens. This meeting being the first in the year provided an opportunity for the leaders to discuss the CSO new year message themed “Citizen Action for a Peaceful, Secure and Prosperous Uganda – with Happy People”. The CSO message was delivered on 6 January 2014 and prioritizes 3 key priority actions that civil society organizations will focus on including: Promoting Citizen Organising for a Better Uganda; Wealth Creation for a Prosperous Uganda in which citizens live in dignity; and Peace and Stability for a Secure Uganda. During the leaders meeting key strategies that will enable delivery on the priority actions were discussed and agreed on. 
 
Additionally, the meeting provided the opportunity that CSO leaders have been yearning for to meet the ‘new’ Minister of Internal Affairs where the NGO Board falls so as to share civil society concerns with him. Attempts to meet him soon after he assumed office to discuss these issues had not materialized. The issues presented to him included the role of civil society, the enabling environment required to play the role, issues of sustainability and regulation of NGOs. Possible areas of collaboration were also presented. It was acknowledged by the Minister that civil society has a critical role to play in the development of the country. The minister who was accompanied by the Chairperson of the NGO Board promised to institute quarterly meetings with civil society leaders so as to discuss pertaining issues affecting CSO work with a view to finding solutions. 
 
 One of the most exciting things at the meeting was the proposed CSO investment club. The aim of the club is to ensure economic empowerment of the members of civil society and their families. “We cannot be talking about economic empowerment of the citizens when we ourselves are not economically empowered” said Richard Ssewakiryanga the Executive Director of the NGO forum. The facilitator from the Private Sector Foundation – Uganda reconfirmed that the idea of the club was excellent as she shared examples of similar clubs she has interfaced with. It was agreed that the club be launched and that organizations hold precursor meetings with their staff to interest them in joining the club.

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