The Office of the National Chairman (ONC), under the leadership of Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, has increasingly positioned itself as a visible grassroots institution, translating the National Chairman’s mandate into direct engagement with communities across Uganda. Rather than limiting its work to meetings and office-based coordination, the office has placed emphasis on field monitoring, community mobilisation, empowerment and following up on government programmes where ordinary citizens interact with them.
One of the defining features of the ONC under Hajjat Namyalo has been its sustained monitoring of government programmes, particularly initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM). Through field visits and engagements with beneficiaries, the office has sought to establish whether programmes are reaching the intended people, how beneficiaries are using the support and what challenges are preventing enterprises from growing. Recent monitoring activities have taken the ONC to different parts of the country, including Greater Luwero, Wakiso and other districts.
The office has also expanded its monitoring role beyond economic empowerment to social services, including education. ONC teams have visited schools to assess the implementation and impact of government-supported education programmes, examine challenges facing learners and teachers, and draw attention to infrastructure and service-delivery gaps. This approach has given the office a broader grassroots presence, connecting national programmes with the realities experienced by communities and institutions far from Kampala.
Perhaps the most visible aspect of Hajjat Namyalo’s leadership has been the emphasis on empowering the so-called Bazzukulu and other communities with practical opportunities for self-reliance. The ONC’s empowerment initiatives have included support for poultry, livestock, tailoring and other small enterprises. Some beneficiaries have subsequently expanded their projects, creating income and employment opportunities. One recent example in Wakiso involved a poultry farmer whose enterprise reportedly grew from an initial intervention of 200 chicks to thousands of birds.
What distinguishes the approach is the emphasis on following up after support has been provided. The ONC has increasingly presented empowerment not simply as the distribution of equipment or startup assistance, but as a process involving monitoring, identifying obstacles and encouraging beneficiaries to turn small interventions into sustainable enterprises. During field engagements, Hajjat Namyalo has also interacted directly with beneficiaries and sought to raise issues requiring intervention from relevant government agencies.
The growing visibility of the ONC across social-media discussions and online platforms has further amplified this grassroots approach. Images, videos, beneficiary stories and updates from field activities have made the office’s work more visible to the public, particularly among young people and the wider Bazzukulu community. From monitoring development programmes to engaging farmers, supporting education initiatives and responding to requests for empowerment, the ONC has built an image of an office that seeks to remain close to the people it is mandated to mobilise.
Under Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo, therefore, the ONC’s growing prominence can be understood through a simple shift from mandate to action. Its activities increasingly combine political mobilisation, programme monitoring, community engagement and practical empowerment. While the effectiveness of any government or political programme ultimately depends on measurable results and sustained accountability, the ONC’s expanding field presence has made it one of the more visible grassroots arms associated with the National Chairman’s office.
