KAMPALA, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has appointed Ian Gumisiriza as the Special Presidential Assistant on Informal Sector, with the appointment taking immediate effect.
Gumisiriza confirmed the appointment, saying it gives him an opportunity to directly engage government institutions in addressing challenges affecting informal sector workers, after years of presenting proposals to the President.
Speaking to our reporter, Gumisiriza said he has spent the last decade advocating for solutions aimed at improving the livelihoods of informal sector players, including market vendors, street traders, boda boda riders and other small-scale entrepreneurs.
“This appointment is a vote of confidence that I can now directly address these matters at different levels of government rather than just giving proposals which in most cases are not implemented by the different ministries, departments and agencies. I will not betray his confidence in me,” Gumisiriza said.
He explained that his main responsibility will include monitoring the performance of Presidential Revolving Funds targeting informal sector workers to ensure they achieve their intended goal of helping lift urban communities out of poverty.
Gumisiriza added that his office will also focus on coordinating efforts among government agencies to formalise informal businesses and reduce the size of the informal economy.
“Ultimately, it is to reduce the size of the informal sector by coordinating efforts by different agencies to formalise informal businesses,” he said.
Uganda’s informal sector remains a major contributor to the economy and the largest source of employment in the country, accounting for more than 80 percent of the workforce.
Available data indicates that the informal economy contributes approximately 54.5 percent of Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), making it a key area of focus for government economic policies.
