The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
African Leadership magazine has unveiled three Ugandans, Patrick Bitature, Winnie Byanyima, and Ernest Rubondo, among nominees for its African Persons of the Year (POTY) 2023 awards.
ANALYSIS | MONITOR REPORTER | The ALM Persons of the Year (POTY) awards presentation ceremony is a flagship annual event of the African Leadership Magazine, which has been held consecutively over the past 12 years.
It brings together policymakers, private sector leaders, civil society leaders, thought leaders and all stakeholders from across Africa and the rest of the world to discuss issues bothering on Africa’s socio-economic growth and development. The event has also become a prestigious platform for honouring people-centred leadership and Africans who are pursuing a pan-African agenda in their chosen fields of endeavour.
The three are among nominees selected as leaders from diverse spheres of society who have shown resilience, ingenuity and resourcefulness in the year under review and beyond.
Patrick Bitature, Founder & Chairman of Simba Group in Uganda was nominated among African leaders whose actions, policies, and business have helped create jobs for Africans in the year under review.
Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) was nominated as an African woman who has defied the odds and risen above the patriarchal systems in the continent to positively affect the continent or influence women to aspire for excellence in various fields.
Ernest Rubondo, the Executive Director, Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), was nominated among African heads of government institutions that combine political leadership presence with a technocratic approach, exemplifying excellence, integrity and transparency to address the needs of the populace, as well as drive change, policy innovation, extraordinary value and exceptional leadership.
All three are noted to have remarkable achievements and commitment to harnessing untapped potentials, leveraging knowledge, skills, and home-grown innovative solutions to Africa’s development challenges, as well as contributing towards building more resilient African economies, creating wealth and prosperity for the African people.
In a public statement released on Nov.28 in Portsmouth, UK, The African Leadership Magazine (ALM) said the unveiling of nominees follows a call for nominations which ended recently and attracted submissions from Africans across the continent and in Diaspora.
The African Leadership Magazine is the flagship publication of the African Leadership Organisation (UK) Limited, which has committed the last 16 years to promoting impactful leadership on the continent and promoting African opportunities globally through an ecosystem of quality Afro-positive content, Africa trade facilitation and market entry solutions, Afro-centric communities and business networking platforms, as well as through public sector training and consulting.
The ALM Persons of the Year Awards is Africa’s premier vote-based endorsement, reserved annually for the leading Africans who are contributing towards promoting the continent’s progress, and positively altering Africa’s perceived negative image.
The ALM Persons of the Year Awards has a 2-step selection process which provides a unique opportunity for Africans from all over the world to be part of the process of selecting winners for the various categories of the awards.
The call for nomination sets the stage for the series of activities that culminate in the gathering of Africa’s finest leaders from all walks of life; while the second step is a call for voting for the nominees in an online poll.
Following the unveiling of the shortlist of nominees for the 12th ALM Persons of the Year 2023, public voting is now open and the general public is invited to visit the ALM website (www.africanleadershipmagazine.co.uk) to vote for their choice nominees on the different categories. The voting closes on Dec.14 at midnight (CAT).
Based on the results of the online poll, the winners of the ALM Persons of the Year Awards for the year 2023 will be announced and invited to a formal presentation of the awards and other instruments of the honour during the ALM Persons of the Year Awards Ceremony 2024, which is scheduled to hold on February 22 – 23, 2024 at the Ethiopian Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The event will be held in partnership with the Ethiopian Customs Commission (ECC), with the theme-Building Resilient African Economies.
The ALM POTY 2024 nominees are in the 10 categories
African of the Year
This recognition is for an African whose actions have positively impacted the continent in the year under review, helped shape their immediate society, and whose work inspires Afro-positivism globally.
H.E. William Ruto, President of Kenya
H.E. Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia
Prof. Benedict Okey Oramah, President, Afrexim Bank
African Female Leader of the Year
This recognition is open to an African woman who has defied the odds and risen above the patriarchal systems in the continent to positively affect the continent or influence women to aspire for excellence in various fields.
H.E. Mariam Chabi Talata, Vice President of Benin
Martha Karambu Koome, Chief Justice of Kenya
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, UNAIDS
Nonkululeko Nyembezi, Chairman, Standard Bank Group, South Africa
Naseem Lahri, Managing Director, Lucara Diamonds, Botswana
African Educationist of the Year
This recognition is for an African whose contribution to the growth of education, and deepening knowledge has been second to none in the year under review. It is also reserved for a member of the academic whose research or policy has contributed to shaping their country’s economic growth and development.
Matsie Angelina Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education, South Africa
Prof. Olufemi A. Peters, Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria
Prof. George Openjuru, Vice Chancellor, Gulu University, Uganda
Prof. Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, Vice-Chancellor, University of Media, Arts and Communication, Ghana.
African Political Leader of the Year
This recognition is open to an African, whose contribution has immensely contributed to deepening democracy and democratic values in the continent.
H.E. Samia Saluhu, President of Tanzania
H.E. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of Morocco
H.E. George Weah, President of Liberia
African Peace & Security Leader of the Year
Criteria: This recognition is open to defence and security heads across the continent, with visible strides in protecting lives and property in their countries and the larger society. Nominees are also expected to subscribe to high standards of personal accountability in pursuing their vision.
H.E. Adama Barrow, President of The Gambia
H.E. Jakaya Kikwete, former President of Tanzania
Kwame Asuah Takyi, Comptroller-General, Ghana Immigration Service
African Industrialist of the Year
This recognition is for an African whose actions, policies, and business have helped create jobs for Africans in the year under review.
Said Salim Bakhresa, Founder & Chairman, Bakhresa Group, Tanzania
Mostafa Terrab, Chairman/CEO, OCP Group, Morocco
Patrick Bitature, Founder & Chairman, Simba Group, Uganda
Alhaji Musbahu Bashir, Chairman, Althani Group of Companies, Nigeria
António Mosquito MBakassy, Founder & Chairman, GAM Group, Angola
African Philanthropist of the Year
This recognition is open to an African who has given more to support a charitable cause, social justice and promote social good.
Ibrahim Mahama, Founder, Engineers and Planners, Ghana
Ahmed Abou Hashima, Founder, Egyptian Steel
Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Cofounder & CEO, Motsepe Foundation
Tein T.S Jack-Rich, Founder & President, Belemaoil Producing Limited, Nigeria
Young African Leader of the Year
Criteria: Must be between the ages of 18-45; Young persons of African descent, making a difference globally via diverse sectors such as business, IT, entertainment, sports, etc., remaining a positive role model and re-defining creativity, resilience; hard work and ingenuity of the continent’s young people.
Salamu Amadu, Chairman, Afro-Arab Group, Ghana
Jesca Nkwabi, CEO, KOM Group, Tanzania
Akol Ayii, Founder & Chairman, Founder and Chairman of Trinity Group
Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO & Co-founder, Moniepoint Nigeria
African Public Sector Leader of the Year
This recognition is open to Heads of Government institutions that combine political leadership presence with a technocratic approach, exemplifying excellence, integrity and transparency to address the needs of the populace, as well as drive change, policy innovation, extraordinary value and exceptional leadership.
Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Nigeria
Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, CEO, National Petroleum Authority (NPA) Ghana
Ernest Rubondo, Executive Director, Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU)
Saptieu Elizabeth Saccoh, Administrator & Registrar-General of Sierra Leone
Ella Mokgalane, CEO, South African Council For Educators
African Public Health Leader of the Year
This award is for an African who is making outstanding contributions to public health in Africa, by protecting and promoting the well-being of the people of Africa and building strong healthcare systems and infrastructures at the community and national levels.
The Hon. Dr Kailesh Jagutpal, Minister of Health and Wellness, Mauritius
Matshidiso Moeti, Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa
H.E. Dr. Khalid Atef Abdul Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, Egypt
H.E. Dr. Ali Mrabet, Minister of Health, Tunisia
