East African Leaders Push for Adaptive Governance and Resilience at Kampala Convention

Corporate directors and executives from East Africa gathered in Kampala for the 2026 League of East African Directors (LEAD) Convention, themed ‘Future Proofing Business: Risk, Resilience & Responsibility—Leading through Uncertainty.’ The event highlighted the urgent need to adapt governance amid rising global and local disruptions.

LEAD chairperson Getrude Wamala opened by pointing to intense pressures from geopolitical conflicts, climate change, supply chain issues, and youth unemployment. She stressed the volatility in fuel supply and pricing, calling for stronger focus on business resilience to navigate unpredictability.

Alfred Brian Agaba from Nation Media Group-Uganda advocated shifting sustainability efforts toward societal impacts beyond mere financial metrics. Meanwhile, regulators like Capital Markets Authority chair Saul Sseremba pushed for tailored oversight that nurtures emerging innovations without stifling growth, balancing enforcement with collaboration.

Petroleum Authority of Uganda chair Lynda Biribwona noted that regulations must evolve continuously as a learning process. National Water and Sewerage Corporation MD Silver Mugisha called for African-led inventions to cut reliance on foreign aid and technology.

Leadership expert Martin Oduor-Otieno stressed combining logic with empathy, emphasizing people and purpose in addressing cybersecurity and instability. National Social Security Fund MD Patrick Ayota warned that poor governance drains up to 2% of GDP in developing economies, underscoring trust’s role in true institutional success.

Vaalt Real Estates’ Brian Arineitwe highlighted how internal leadership rifts erode employee confidence and productivity.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)