Keith Muhakanizi Biography
Keith Muhakanizi is an economist from Uganda who serves as the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development’s Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury.
Muhakanizi has worked in a number of departments at the Ministry for many years and has played a significant role in macroeconomic policy and planning, the expansion of the financial sector, and the expansion of the private sector in the nation.
Muhakanizi has been on the boards of many organizations and continues to do so. He served as the Chairman of the East African Development Bank since May 25, 2013, in addition to serving as the EPRC Board of Management’s chair.
Keith Muhakanizi Early Life and Education
In Uganda, Keith Muhakanizi was born on December 12th, 1961. He was raised by educators who instilled in him a strong sense of the value of learning and the influence that information can have. Muhakanizi graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from Makerere University. Later on, he graduated from the University of London with a master’s degree in economic policy and planning.
Keith Muhakanizi Career in Public Service
Muhakanizi started his career as an economist after completing his education by working for the Ugandan Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. He has held a number of posts within the ministry throughout the years, including those of Principal Finance Officer and Director of Budget.
Muhakanizi has been instrumental in influencing Uganda’s economic policies and advancing sustainable development in these capacities. He is well-known for his proficiency in financial administration and planning, and he has been recognized with fostering stability and expansion in Uganda’s economy.
Keith Muhakanizi Personal Life
Muhakanizi has a profession in public service in addition to being a skilled musician and composer. He has performed at various concerts and festivals both in Uganda and abroad and has published several albums of traditional Ugandan music.
Despite his great accomplishments, Muhakanizi maintains his modesty and dedication to improving his neighborhood. He continues to play a significant influence in determining the economic destiny of Uganda and is widely considered as one of the country’s most influential and respected economists.
Contribution to Uganda’s Economic Development
The Ugandan government has put into effect a variety of measures designed to encourage economic growth and combat poverty under Muhakanizi’s direction. The implementation of a medium-term expenditure framework, which has improved budget predictability and transparency, is one of his most important accomplishments.
Along with encouraging public-private partnerships, Muhakanizi has helped Uganda attract more foreign investment. He has put forth a lot of effort to bring in foreign capital, especially in the infrastructure and agricultural sectors.
Work and Experience
At the moment, Keith Muhakanizi serves as the Ministry of Finance’s Permanent Secretary. He succeeded Chris Kassami in the position.
With 38 years of government experience, Mr. Keith Muhakanizi has worked his way up from being an economist to his current position as Permanent Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development of the Republic of Uganda. He is a passionate development and macro-economist as well as a public sector management specialist.
He was instrumental in the development and implementation of the economic reforms that helped Uganda’s economy regain its macroeconomic stability in the 1990s.
In the creation of subsequent National Development Plans, Muhakanizi oversaw both the technical and policy development work.
To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public resource usage and encourage greater domestic resource mobilization, more policy reforms and improved public financial management are needed.
Along with Chris Kassami, Muhakanizi, who has worked at the Ministry for more than ten years, was crucial in creating significant policy changes.
In addition to serving on many other boards, Muhakanizi is the chairman of the board of directors for the National Housing and Construction Company.
Muhakanizi is the chairman of the Uganda Housing Finance Bank Limited and a board member of the Bank of Uganda.
The EPRC Board of Management’s Chairperson and Ex-Official Member is Muhakanizi. He was the Ministry of Finance’s previous Director of Economic Affairs and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.
Controversy
Keith Muhakanizi has been widely criticized for the excessive public spending and frequent supplemental budgets in addition to garnering credit for his role to Uganda’s economic progress throughout the years.
The imported rice scandal identified Muhakanizi and Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija in 2017. To take advantage of the instruction, the two were allegedly behind a decision to waive tariffs on imported unprocessed rice.
During the Uganda Telecom (UTL) recapitalization process in 2019, Muhakanizi also got into an argument with Hon. Evelyn Anite, State Minister for Privatization and Investment, which led to a scandal. The government was looking for a suitable investor to take over the already faltering UTL at this time.
As a result, Anite and Muhakanizi fought over who should audit the corporation under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s orders.
Muhakanizi stated that the Ministry of Finance could not let an Anite-appointed auditor to audit the company.
On July 16, 2019, President Museveni gave Anite the order to conduct an audit into UTL in order to allow the government to confirm or refute the claims regarding the mess at the telecom business.
Anite and Muhakanizi became at odds about whether or not to audit the business as a result.
The High Court’s civil division later authorized the Auditor General to carry out the audit, nevertheless.
Muhakanizi claimed that his position was that the government, through Anite, should not choose their auditor, but not that the audit should be stopped as was allegedly claimed.
Muhakanizi was entangled in a land-grab scandal in 2016. Over 100 Lyantonde farmers who he had forced off their land in the Lyantonde District communities of Lwamayongwe Seeta and Kasamba accused him of the crime.
The allegedly stolen land had a 500 hectare size.
