{"id":217001,"date":"2022-02-18T13:25:51","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T11:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/uganda-needs-a-mind-shift-to-address-poor-growth-and-persistent-inequality\/"},"modified":"2022-02-18T13:25:51","modified_gmt":"2022-02-18T11:25:51","slug":"uganda-needs-a-mind-shift-to-address-poor-growth-and-persistent-inequality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/uganda-needs-a-mind-shift-to-address-poor-growth-and-persistent-inequality\/","title":{"rendered":"Uganda needs a mind shift to address poor growth and persistent inequality"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Uganda aspires<\/a> to become an upper-middle-income country by 2040. This is classified<\/a> by the World Bank as a country with Gross National Income per capita income above $4,096. That\u2019s far and above Uganda\u2019s latest figure of under $1,000<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The main pillar of Uganda\u2019s push is Vision 2040<\/a>. This is a strategic document drawn up in 2007. Its aim was to formalise Uganda\u2019s aspiration to have a transformed Ugandan society \u201cfrom a peasant to a modern and prosperous country in 30 years\u201d. <\/p>\n

The government also prioritised poverty eradication action plans<\/a> between 1997-2007. And since 2010, the National Planning Authority<\/a> has developed five-year plans. <\/p>\n

Yet all is still not well with Uganda\u2019s economy. Inequality and multidimensional poverty remain prevalent<\/a>. The Gini coefficient \u2013 the measure of the degree of income inequality \u2013 has remained largely constant<\/a> since 1996. The situation has worsened<\/a> with the COVID-19 pandemic. <\/p>\n

Uganda\u2019s inequality has been aggravated by uneven land distribution and the complex land tenure system<\/a>. Other factors are household sizes, disparities in access to education, inequalities in employment opportunities, urbanisation and generational poverty. All hinder equitable access and resource distribution. <\/p>\n

On top of this, Uganda\u2019s government debt levels have risen so high as to alarm<\/a> multilateral lending institutions. <\/p>\n

This is the backdrop against which I chaired a committee of economic experts convened to examine<\/a> the current approach to the financing of development. After reviewing the scientific evidence we recommended the way forward.<\/p>\n

In short, we underlined the view that at the core of any sustainable development agenda is the nation\u2019s collective mindset. When citizens feel that they own the development agenda and process, they become active participants in development. That\u2019s currently lacking. <\/p>\n

Government must encourage citizens to participate in the development. It must start by viewing citizens as agents of economic growth and development, not a burden to the government. Citizen involvement and participation in the development process will translate into country ownership. Greater country ownership will, in turn, advance the country\u2019s national development agenda.<\/p>\n

Collective mindset<\/h2>\n

Historically, top-down solutions have dominated debate over sustainable development in Uganda. Multilateral aid, poverty reduction plans<\/a> and economic stimulus<\/a> packages are just some examples. <\/p>\n

One of the more underappreciated aspects of any sustainable development agenda is the nation\u2019s collective mindset. It\u2019s individuals, communities, and institutions who build the necessary confidence to pursue complex and challenging solutions to their problems. <\/p>\n

Another pressing concern that underpins the challenge of implementation is the approach to financing sustainable development. The current approach is to use public and private sector resources to improve development indicators. <\/p>\n

But there is little focus on how leaders use these resources to shift the mindset of citizens towards their greater ownership of the development process. The report defines ownership as: <\/p>\n

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leadership and participation, at all levels and in every sector of society to achieve a unified goal, in which individuals feel part of a common development agenda.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Our committee identified Uganda\u2019s four main challenges. These are:<\/p>\n