I never knew I had enemies until I became Prime Minister – Nabbanja

How many phone calls do you receive a day?

My phone is like a call box. I have somebody who answers my mobile phone calls and office calls when I am busy. I receive about 20,000 messages every day. My girls summarise calls and prioritise what is important. This makes me lose touch with some people but I have to accept it because of my position. If I were to answer calls, I would never have time to concentrate on my assignments.

What was your childhood like?

I am the seventh born in a family of 13 children, but six died. I come from a humble background; a typical peasant setting. My father died when I was in Primary Six in 1982. I went to Nkooko Primary School, formerly in Kibaale District, but now in Kakumiro District from Primary One to Seven. For secondary, because of lack of school fees, I went to Nankandula Secondary School in Kyankwanzi District for Senior One and Two. I joined St Edwards Bukuumi Senior Secondary School for senior one to six. I went to Makerere University Business School and pursued a course in catering for two years. I failed to get a job and I went back to the village. I decided to do a diploma in Secondary Education. I later did a degree in Democracy and Development Studies at Uganda Martyrs University and a Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation at Nkumba University.

What do you value most and what would you defend most with your life?

I value human beings. I hate seeing somebody suffering. I treasure this a lot because I have been helped by many people. When I dropped out of school in Senior Two, a certain old man, then a manager of Kakumiro Union called Tibihwa, extended a helping hand and paid my tuition fees at Bukuumi Senior Secondary School. Whenever I see children suffering and cannot afford school fees or basic needs, I feel that if I was not helped, I would not be the Nabbanja you see today. I am always willing to help, sometimes at the expense of my family. And I do not regret it.

What are your interests outside politics?

Before I became a Prime Minister, I enjoyed making friends and I still do. I enjoy seeing new faces and having time with my voters. I never spent a weekend in Kampala when I was a Member of Parliament. I spent time in my village and constituency, visiting, engaging people, reviewing their progress in terms of development. I am interested in knowing what people are doing and whether or not they are upgrading from their original status. I love to see people developing not only in my area but across the country.

Do you still find time to invest in friendships given your position?

Oh yes, but the time is limited. I have kept friends I had, including those from my village and my voters. The only challenge is having time for them. When I get time, I check on them. But it is not as easy as it used to be. 

When making friends, do you look out for politicians, people of your status or someone in the deepest village in Kakumiro?

Friendship is not dependent on status.  In my Kampala neighbourhood, you will be surprised to learn that I have friends, including those who operate food stalls. I make friends irrespective of one’s status.

What will you do to uplift the conditions of women in Uganda?

Government has drafted a policy to support people, especially the needy. As you may be aware, 39 percent of Ugandans are still in the subsistence economy. And my contribution has been to modify or remodel the parish model to suit the needs of local women. This is why we have a policy of 30 percent for women in the parish model and 30 percent for the youth. We are giving them Shs100m per parish. As an individual, I don’t have enough for every needy person.

What are the best five books you have read that have impacted your life?

I read political books, especially those written by the President. I read the Constitution, the Local Government Act and the Bible. I am interested in knowing what is in the law.

The best five destinations you have been to.

I have been to Venice, UK, London, though it is not as beautiful as Shanghai in China. I have been to Rome, Israel and Jerusalem and many other places in Africa. I enjoy being in Kakumiro. I want whatever good thing I know to go to my district. I have been to Kiruhura and I like the way the farms there are organised. I have also been to Bushenyi, Mitooma and Rukungiri. The most beautiful church I have been to is in Rukungiri.

Who are the five most inspirational people you have met?

President Museveni. The knowledge he exudes and the way he goes about his business marvels me. Away from the President, my mother, Mary Nzera Nakate is phenomenal and has instilled the spirit of hard work in me. She lost her husband in the early years of her marriage, but she managed to raise all of us. She is alive and is 76. There was a woman called Nyakahara who was a senior woman teacher and deputy head teacher of St Edwards Bukuumi Secondary School. She took me to Nakawa where I did a catering course. The other person I consider to be my mentor is John Nasasira. I worked with him when I was the treasurer of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, in 2011. I still consult him. I look up to him. He is very knowledgeable on a spectrum of issues.

Your job is too demanding even when you are at home. When do you get time to rest or spend time with family?

I get time to go to church when I am in Kampala and in the village. Sunday is my day. I work out every evening for one or two hours even if it means doing it late in the night. I read all newspapers. I am also entitled to three days leave per month and I use this to rest and refresh.

I have watched clips of you doing karate and boxing, are these your hobbies? What keeps you fit?

The kickboxing came after an accident that got me injured in 2019. I was in China and somebody pulled my bag they had mistaken to be theirs. They also twisted my right arm and boxing is physiotherapeutic. Kicks are for personal fitness. I did not know I would do it until it became treatment. I do jogging and I have a treadmill at home. I do cycling and karate and kickboxing.

What are some of the things you would die to accomplish before leaving office?

I want to see effective accountability systems in place. I want to see a coordinated move of ministers, where all of us are aiming at serving Ugandans, not ourselves. I want to see all ministries accountable to the people in a transparent manner. I also want to see a reduced cost of electricity so that our people can stop using charcoal and firewood. I want to see Ugandans use the electricity we produce because it is a lot but we do not use it because it is expensive. Whenever I see land evictions, my heart bleeds. I want to see Ugandans settled on their land without any encumbrances. If I achieve these, I will die a happy woman.

Do you ever put your phone away?

That time is not there. My constituency is on phone. Three people died on a motorcycle and the vehicle that knocked them was leaving after Kyegegwa police had granted them police bond but they were rearrested. I cannot switch off my phone, or else my people will suffer. When sleeping, I leave it vibration. My people are trained that if they are to call at night, it must be a problem. I also recently saved a life of my neighbor who was dying on Covid-19. If my phone was off, they would be dead. My phone goes off when I am out of the country because answering calls becomes expensive. Still, I use WhatsApp to call my people.

Who prepares what you do daily?

I have officers who handle the day-to-day business of the office of the prime minister. We have meetings daily. If the President has organised meetings and I have to be in other meetings, I give precedence to the President’s and delegate some meetings to other Prime Ministers depending on their urgency.   

I have cabinet meetings on Monday up to late in the evening and senior top management on Tuesday that I prepare for on Monday evening. There are donor and ministries meetings. Wednesday is when I meet ministers and their permanent secretaries. I read on Wednesday evening to prepare for Prime Minister’s questions that are asked on the Floor of Parliament every Thursday. The same day I have coordination meetings for Prime Minister’s Office and Friday is when I have other meetings such as those for partners and people who visit me individually. I am in the field every Saturday. Sunday is when I am home or at my constituency.

People of your calibre live in high-end areas such as Kololo and Muyenga, why did you choose Makerere Kavule?

I have lived in Kavule long before I became a Prime Minister or joined Parliament. I love it here and I have made friends in my neighbourhood. Whenever they have functions such as introductions, I give them free venue in my compound. I cannot change the environment.

Can you ask your security to stay behind?

I cannot do that. I didn’t know I had enemies until I became Prime Minister. The enemies are not mine but for the position I hold. People do not hate me, they hate the job I do. I was an ordinary woman and nobody wrote about me including you, Daily Monitor. Before I became a Prime Minister, I was an ordinary Nabbanja, who would go to shop foodstuffs in Kaleerwe. I have had guards since 2000.

Are there days you feel like driving without body guards?

I miss that freedom every day, but terrorism is real. There are days I want to go to Kaleerwe Market to shop but it is not safe. Not everyone means well for you.

Responsibility

The Office of the Prime Minister is the engine of government. My job is to identify areas in the service delivery chain that require coordination and harmonisation. I supervise ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure bottlenecks are addressed.

I am also the leader of government business in Parliament. The bills that are necessary for running government are brought from cabinet to parliament for debate, passing and sent to the President to ascent. The OPM hosts several affirmative action ministries such as Northern Uganda, Bunyoro Affairs, Karamoja, Teso and Luweero, among others. These ministries address special interests of regions that have have been historically disadvantaged. I must have a regional overview of what is happening across the country, including disasters, unique challenges and what needs to be done. I also chair the Presidential Advisory Committee (PACO) on budget, which ensures that government planning processes consider interests contained in the manifesto.