The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) at Makerere University has launched a five-day intensive training programme in public investment management for officials from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
The course, which began on May 19, 2025, at the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), aims to equip participants with essential skills in project design, preparation, execution, and evaluation.
Opening the training, Esther Ayebare, Assistant Commissioner in the Project Analysis and Public Investment Department (PAP) at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), emphasized government’s commitment to strengthening public investment systems.
“The government is committed to building a pool of skilled professionals who can design, appraise, and manage viable public projects. This training is part of a broader strategy to ensure that public investments deliver real value for money,” said Ayebare.
She urged participants to actively engage with the course content, particularly its practical components that simulate real-world investment scenarios.
Edson Masereka, Manager for Research and Business Development at KCCA, welcomed the initiative, noting its relevance to the authority’s current project pipeline.
“This training is timely. It will strengthen our internal capacity to design, prepare, and execute public investments. We hope the quality and impact of our projects will improve significantly as a result,” said Mr. Masereka.
KCCA currently has over 30 projects in development, underscoring the need for trained personnel to ensure effective implementation.
Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal Investigator of the PIM Centre of Excellence, hailed the training as a landmark in public sector professional development. He highlighted the significance of KCCA fully sponsoring the cohort, calling it a "testament to the authority’s commitment to internal capacity building."
“Beyond training, we are also working on revising the Development Committee Guidelines, assessing public investment performance since NDP I, and producing knowledge to inform decision-making,” Prof. Bbaale added.
The training covers three core modules: Project Identification and Preparation, Integrated Bank of Projects (IBP) and Execution, and Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment, with an emphasis on climate, environmental, and social safeguards.
Participants will also be eligible for advanced modules on financial and economic appraisal in collaboration with Cambridge Resources International and Queen’s University, Canada, leading to international certification.
The programme aligns with national efforts to build a cadre of professionals capable of managing public investments that support Uganda’s long-term development objectives. Participants will receive joint certification from Makerere University and MoFPED, recognizing the academic and policy rigor of the course.
“This workshop is just the beginning. You are the future champions of effective public investment. Engage fully, learn deeply, and take these skills back to your institutions to make a difference,” Prof. Bbaale advised.
The PIM Centre of Excellence continues to serve as a hub for training, research, and policy support, strengthening Uganda’s capacity to deliver impactful public investment projects.