State House
Early on the morning of Saturday 30th September 2023, I received a call from the State House Comptroller Ms. Jane Barekye inquiring whether I was available to stand in for her – and officiate at a pass out of Presidential Industrial Hubs’ Instructors from across the country, and Staff of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, who had been undergoing a rigorous orientation course.
A few hours later, together with Special Presidential Assistant/Special Duties Barbara Nabirye, we arrived at the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi. We were warmly received by the NALI Director, Gen. Charles Kisembo, and our coordinators of the Program from the State House Directorate for the Presidential Industrial Hubs Initiative, and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
Together with Comrade Kisembo, we passed out: 312 Industrial Hubs Instructors; 12 Staff of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and 20 other graduands.
I congratulated all the graduands – emphasizing the critical importance of commitment to Patriotism in their daily undertakings and work … beyond their specialized skills and competencies. Together, we reflected on the role of discipleship or cadreship – in the socio-economic transformation of Uganda and Mother Africa.
In very simple terms, I told the graduands the story of artisanship, guilds and workshops in Medieval Europe from the 6th to the 16th Centuries. I asked for a comparative reflection on our national specificities and strategic tasks.
For purposes of this article, for ease of reference and a reader friendly perspective, we turn to Wikipedia: “An artisan (from French: artisan, Italian: artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art, sculpture, clothing, food items, household items, and tools and mechanisms such as the handmade clockwork movement of a watchmaker. Artisans practice a craft and may through experience and aptitude reach the expressive levels of an artist …
The adjective ‘artisanal’ is often used in describing hand-processing in contrast to an industrial process, such as in the phrase artisanal mining. Thus, ‘artisanal’ is sometimes used in marketing and advertising as a buzz word to describe or imply some relation with the crafting of handmade food products, such as bread, beverages, cheese or textiles. Many of these have traditionally been handmade, rural or pastoral goods but are also now commonly made on a larger scale with automated mechanization in factories and other industrial areas …
Artisans were the dominant producers of commodities before the Industrial Revolution …
In ancient Greece, artisans were drawn to agoras and often built workshops nearby …
During the Middle Ages, the term ‘artisan’ was applied to those who made things or provided services. It did not apply to unskilled manual labourers. Artisans were divided into two distinct groups: those who operated their own businesses and those who did not. The former were called masters, while the latter were the journeymen and apprentices …
One misunderstanding many people have about this social group is that they picture them as ‘workers’ in the modern sense: employed by someone. The most influential group among the artisans were the masters, the business owners. The owners enjoyed a higher social status in their communities, and often organized into guilds …”
In those West European states, the age of the artisans and guilds was eclipsed by Mercantilism, Modern Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution. Our Industrial Hubs in Uganda, are the harbinger of the commercialization and modernization of our Agriculture, as well as our full industrialization – and therefore our take-off to modernity. Our “artisans”, “guilds” and “workshops”, are being nurtured around the Hubs – a critical part of the foundation for the next phase in our development!
President Yoweri K. Museveni must be applauded and appreciated by the elite, the political class and wananchi in general – for developing the Industrial Hubs Initiative, which is of overwhelming strategic importance in our transformation. The current focus of the 19 Hubs is on: Skilling; the four-acre model; Common User Facilities; Value Addition.
The State House Comptroller Ms. Jane Barekye, has vigorously implemented and led the initiative – building on the pioneering work of Ms. Lucy Nakyobe (now Head of Public Service/Secretary to Cabinet).
I shared with the graduands the objective necessity for our Patriotism to be outward looking, and to accommodate accelerated and deepened regional political and economic integration. Even without the superstructure of a Confederation or Federation, we already have an internal market of 300 million people stretching from the Atlantic to the Indian Oceans.
We do not integrate to trade. We integrate to develop. Most importantly, it is through deepened integration that we are able build our collective strength – and secure the strategic future of the African people.
Happy Independence Anniversary Your Excellency the President and all Compatriots! The Struggle for the Self-Assertion and Self-Becoming of the Ugandan and African People Continues! Victory is Certain!
K. David Mafabi
Senior Presidential Advisor/Political Affairs (Special Duties)
State House
