KAMPALA, UGANDA: Uganda on Thursday evening received disturbing news after Keith Muhakanizi, one of the longest-serving technocrats in the current government, died in Italy at the age of 64.
At the time of his death, Muhakanizi was the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister and had previously served as Secretary to Treasury and Permanent Secretary in the Finance Ministry for several years.
According to family sources, the senior economist and finance guru died at a hospital in Milan, Italy where he had been flown on Sunday for treatment after battling cancer for years.
Keith Muhakanizi Biography
Born in 1959 in Uganda, Muhakanizi was educated at Makerere University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He later went on to earn a Master’s degree in Development Economics from Williams College in Massachusetts, USA.
Prior to his appointment as Permanent Secretary in the OPM, Muhakanizi served in the same capacity at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development where he doubled as the Secretary to the country’s Treasury where he was instrumental in the formation of the macroeconomic policy and planning, financial sector growth and private sector growth in the country.
Until his death, Muhakanizi was the last man standing in an elite league of the late Chris Kassami and late Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile who spent decades at the Ministry of Finance since graduation from Makerere University.
Muhakanizi was known for his expertise in public finance management, budgeting, and economic policy. He played a key role in the formulation and implementation of Uganda’s National Development Plans, and was instrumental in the country’s successful completion of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
As a macro-economist, and a public sector management specialist, Mr Muhakanizi helped in the formulation of National Development Plans, the Public Finance and Management Act, and The Bank of Uganda Act among others.
He also played a key role in revenue mobilisation and introduced commitment control systems that guided the development and execution of economic policies for more than a decade at the Ministry of Finance.
He was the chairperson of the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) Board of Management, who also served as the Chairman of the East African Development Bank since May 25, 2013.
Muhakanizi also served as a member of the boards for several organisations including the BoU board, chairman of the East African Development Bank Board and chairman of Housing Finance Bank Limited and worked with the various ministries, agencies and government departments to streamline accountability and budget discipline.
In July 2021, President Museveni sent Muhakanizi to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) as Permanent Secretary where he was responsible for coordinating, monitoring, and supervising government programmes and projects.
Mr Muhakanizi wrote in one of his last memos on the iron sheets scandal, guiding subordinates on the rightful procedures of official communication as stipulated in the standing orders (Uganda Public Service Standing Orders 2021) and management of public resources.
In the February 15 circular, he wrote that “requisitions [to stores] from user departments shall be originated and or endorsed by the head of department before submission to the accounting officer.
Where requests have been originated by ministers/political leaders, local government or other stakeholders, technical assessments of the requests shall be carried out by the responsible department prior to approval by the accounting officer.”
His death is a great loss to Uganda and the international community. He will be remembered as a visionary economist and public servant who dedicated his life to improving the lives of Ugandans and advancing the cause of sustainable development.
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