REMEMBERING JOHN MITALA, FORMER HEAD OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND SECRETARY TO CABINET
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Open in new tab REMEMBERING JOHN MITALA, FORMER HEAD OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND SECRETARY TO CABINET
By Patrick Ibembe
- Dr. John Mitala, former Head of Service and Secretary to cabinet breathed his last yesterday
- Mitala ( RIP) served as Head of Public and Secretary to Cabinet for 19 years, making him the World’s longest-serving officer in that role
- I had a working relationship with him spanning 21 years.
- From May 2003 to June 2011( a little over eight years) our offices were opposite each other
- Since we both had a habit of getting to the office, before 7:00 AM, we routinely caught up on various subjects [but in a Boss/ subordinate relationship]THE CLOUT AROUND THE LATE MITALA’s OFFICE, AS HEAD OF SERVICE
A)This is one of those Governmental Offices designed to assume Twin roles. I.e, Head of the entire Civil service and Secretary. to cabinet … much as ( as a teacher)I would break this into 4 powerful roles, namely:
- Head of the entire Civil service
- Secretary to Cabinet ( chief technical person).
In Protocol of meetings. The cabinet is the No1, meeting of the land
3. As Head of Service, he was the “Head boy” to all Permanent Secretaries in Uganda( for 19 years)
4. He was also the JURE permanent secretary, Office of the President
Supretending over the other Permanent secretaries in the office of the President, namely: Deputy Head of service, State House Comptroller, PPS to the President, PPS to the Vice President, Secretary Office of the President ( who heads the executive office of the fountain of honor), Secretary for Ethics, and Secretary to the Chancery
- HOW WOULD I LIKE TO REMEMBER MITALA
- A) I quote Mitala severally in my published works, on Governance and VIP management … in absentia , I thank him for his time and insights
- B) Assuming additional responsibilities as Director and Chairman Board of Directors of sensitive State Parastatals, Mitala was of much help to me to engage some Permanent Secretaries.
At the time, I was handed over a state parastatal that had initially been earmarked for Privatisation ( on account of making losses).
We had to operate on business principles …. Most business was with Government entities. Mitala was of help in validating my value prepositions to his permanent secretaries,…the result was that one year on assumption of my relationship role ( Director) profits were made and ONLY CONTINUED TO CLIMB
( as validated by annual reports from Auditor General)
- B) Mitala was professional , we handled many capacity building programs together, for senior Government officials
- C) Mitala was the best timekeeper I have met in my living memory
- C) Mitala was simple, straightforward and Candid
- D) Mitala’s straightforward and candid nature, almost brought him issues with his subordinates. At the time we ( Ibembe and Mitala) had been invited to induct a very engaging and brilliant crop of Undersecretaries.
This lot included common names in Administration cadreship like, Ben Kigenyi, Aggrey Wuni, Godfrey Kaima, etc….Mitala’s technical presentation got a “cold shower “ but on account of a virtue….Straightforwardness!
We thank Mitala for his contribution to the service
MHSRIP
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