Uongozi Institute marks 15th Anniversary with Alumni Forum launch
DAR ES SALAAM: UONGOZI Institute launched an alumni forum in Dar es Salaam on Friday, as it marked its 15th Anniversary as a regional leadership development hub.
Officiating at the event, the Chief Secretary and Secretary of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Zena Ahmed Said called on leaders in the country to embrace transformative leadership values to drive positive change.
She commended the institute for its commitment to inspiring and equipping African leaders to deliver inclusive and sustainable solutions for their people since it was established in 2010.
She also commended the institute for embodying the principles of transformative leadership, which she said were essential for sustainable development and called on public leaders entrusted to serve the people in various capacities to display transformative leadership values.
“Let’s embrace the ethos of transformative leadership,” she said.
Ms Said also praised the Uongozi Institute for its commitment to promoting quality and excellence, stating that these values were clearly reflected in their work.
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She further hailed the long-standing bilateral relations with Finland, which led to the institute’s creation under the Helsinki Process and commended the Northern European country for its continued support.
The idea for the Uongozi Institute originated in the Helsinki Process on Globalisation and Democracy (2002–2008), born from a shared desire by the governments of Tanzania and Finland to advance the knowledge and skills of leaders in sustainable development.
Uongozi Institute CEO Kadari Singo said the new alumni forum would serve to harness the collective power of graduates from the institute’s long-term executive education programmes: the Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership (PGD), the Certificate in Leadership (CiL) and the Women’s Leadership Programme (WLP).
The forum’s theme is “Advancing transformative leadership in Africa: The role of UONGOZI alumni.” Singo explained that the institute is dedicated to inspiring and equipping African leaders to deliver sustainable solutions for their nations.
The institute’s leadership development programmes strengthen the competencies of leaders to design and implement policies tailored to their country’s developmental needs, while also considering regional and global implications.
To achieve this, the institute uses a holistic approach to capacity development, focusing on four key areas: Executive education, policy dialogues, action-oriented research and technical support, he said.
Its clientele includes individuals and organisations from the public, private and civil society sectors. Since its establishment in 2010, the institute has trained 861 leaders. He highlighted its growing relevance, citing a high demand for its programmes across the continent.
For instance, he said, the Women’s Leadership Programme has received 35 applications from different African countries, part of a total of 2,000 applications.
