GEN ELLY KAYANJA DROPPED: Operation Wealth Creation Has Restructured Its Directorates And Redeployed Senior Officials In A Major Shake-Up Aimed At Improving Coordination

Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) has restructured its directorates and redeployed senior officials in a move aimed at aligning the institution with its new establishment and strengthening delivery of Government programmes.

Gen (Rtd) Elly Kayanjja has handed over his office as Director of Inputs as OWC reshuffles its directorates and consolidates several functions under a new organisational structure.

The changes were announced on Tuesday during a handover and restructuring ceremony at the OWC headquarters in Kamwokya, Kampala, presided over by the Deputy Chief Coordinator, Brig Gen Godfrey Muwanguzi, who represented the Chief Coordinator, Gen (Rtd) Caleb Akandwanaho.

The restructuring brings together related functions, creates new directorates and redeploys senior military officers and civilian officials to positions considered critical to the institution’s mandate of supporting Government efforts to improve household incomes and promote socio-economic transformation.

Brig Gen Muwanguzi said the changes followed established administrative procedures and were intended to realign OWC’s leadership, functions and operations with its new establishment.

He urged the incoming directors to embrace the changes and ensure that the institution remains focused on delivering tangible results to communities.

“The restructuring is intended to align our leadership, functions and operations with the new establishment,” Muwanguzi said.

He urged the directors to execute OWC’s mandate in line with the guidance of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and position the institution as a model of effective service delivery and socio-economic transformation.

New Directorates

One of the major changes is the transformation of the former Value Addition function into the Directorate of Value Addition and Manufacturing.

The new directorate is expected to strengthen OWC’s role in promoting processing, manufacturing and value addition, particularly in agricultural production, while also helping to address gaps between production and markets.

The restructuring also consolidates agricultural functions previously handled separately.

The Inputs, Coffee, Cocoa and Tea, Fruits and Horticulture, and Sugarcane Value Chains functions have now been brought under the Directorate of Agriculture.

The move is intended to improve coordination of agricultural interventions and enable OWC to monitor the entire production chain more effectively.

Under the new structure, Maj Gen (Rtd) John Mateeka becomes Director of Agriculture, while Maj Gen (Rtd) David Wakalo takes over as Director of Inspectorate, Research and Analysis.

Former State Minister for Gender and Cultural Affairs, Hon. Kabakumba Masiko, has been appointed Director of Wealth Creation and Social Action Funds.

Brig Gen (Rtd) JB Mulindwa becomes Director of Value Addition and Manufacturing, while Brig Gen (Rtd) Jacob Asimwe has been appointed Director of Political Affairs.

Brig Gen (Rtd) JC Anywar becomes Director of Infrastructure, while Col Victor Opera takes charge of the Directorate of Operations.

Maj (Rtd) Rubaramira Ruranga has been appointed Director of Social Services and Outreach Campaigns.

Dr Arigye A. Eugene becomes Director of Policy, Planning and Development, while Eng. John Wambogo takes charge of Science, Technology, Innovation and ICT.

Mr Allio Emmanuel Ewaku has been appointed Director of Investment and Private Sector Development, while Ms Sylvia Damalie Owori becomes Director of Creatives and Member-Based Organisations. Some directors and officials retained their previous positions under the new establishment.

Kayanjja Hands Over

During the ceremony, outgoing Director of Inputs, Maj Gen (Rtd) Elly Kayanjja, emphasised the importance of ensuring that agricultural inputs supplied to farmers are suitable for their needs and the conditions in which they operate.

Kayanjja said the effectiveness of Government agricultural programmes depends not only on the quantity of inputs distributed but also on whether the inputs are appropriate for farmers and their local environments.

He stressed that proper input selection and distribution are critical to improving agricultural productivity and ensuring that Government interventions translate into better livelihoods.

His handover marked a change in the management of agricultural inputs as OWC moves the function into the broader Directorate of Agriculture.

The consolidation is expected to create closer coordination between agricultural inputs and specific value chains, allowing officials to better assess farmers’ requirements and monitor results.

Mulindwa Promises Teamwork

The incoming Director of Value Addition and Manufacturing, Brig Gen (Rtd) JB Mulindwa, pledged to build on the work already undertaken by OWC while addressing gaps that may have affected the implementation of value addition and manufacturing initiatives. Mulindwa said teamwork and continuity would be central to his approach.

He said the new directorate would work closely with other departments to strengthen value addition and manufacturing, areas considered important in helping farmers and producers move beyond primary production.

The directorate is also expected to contribute to efforts to reduce post-harvest losses and improve the ability of producers to access processing and better-paying markets.

Masiko Calls For Infrastructure

Kabakumba Masiko, who moves from the Sugarcane Value Chains function to head the Directorate of Wealth Creation and Social Action Funds, called for increased investment in infrastructure that supports production.

She identified roads, markets and agricultural machinery among the critical facilities required to improve farmers’ productivity and access to processing facilities.

Masiko’s new portfolio places her at the centre of OWC’s efforts to support social action and wealth creation initiatives.

She emphasised the importance of ensuring that Government interventions are supported by the infrastructure required to make them sustainable.

Evidence-Based Monitoring

The new directors also highlighted the importance of strengthening monitoring, evaluation and reporting across OWC programmes.

They said assessments of Government-supported projects should be based on evidence obtained from the field rather than reports that merely present a favourable picture.

The officials called for accurate reporting and physical verification of projects to establish whether beneficiaries are actually receiving and using the intended support.

They cautioned against relying solely on paperwork and administrative reports, arguing that the actual experiences of beneficiaries should form an important basis for assessing the success or failure of interventions.

This approach, they said, would help OWC identify implementation gaps early and improve accountability in the delivery of Government programmes.

Brig Gen Muwanguzi similarly emphasised teamwork, accountability and coordination, saying the effectiveness of the new structure would depend on how well the different directorates worked together.

He said the directors should ensure that OWC’s interventions produce measurable results at community level.

The restructuring comes at a time when Government continues to place emphasis on increasing household incomes, promoting commercial agriculture, strengthening value addition and expanding opportunities for private-sector investment.

OWC, therefore, faces the task of translating the new structure into improved coordination and delivery on the ground.

The ceremony was attended by OWC Chief Staff Officer Brig Gen James Kaija, directors, departmental heads, specialists, staff officers and other officials.

As the new directors assume their responsibilities, attention will now turn to how the restructured institution performs against its mandate and whether the changes improve the delivery and monitoring of Government wealth-creation programmes across the country.

Author Profile

Stephen Kasozi Muwambi: Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]