JSC Conversations

Legal Discussions checkout Live On

[Alfred Muyaaka @MuyaakaAlfred]

Set a reminder to Join us this Wednesday at exactly 7:00 p.m as @BaryaruhaJr , Registrar @AppealsTribuna1 explores the mandate of the tribunal.

Link https://t.co/J6TcV2Nkv1

[Joy E Mbabazi @IamTheSparrow]

This week’s @JSConversations

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

INSURANCE DISPUTES: WHO GETS THE FINAL SAY?

How does the Insurance Appeals Tribunal work? What is its mandate, and how is it helping resolve commercial disputes faster?

This Wednesday at 7 PM, join JSC Conversations with Martin Baryaruha, Registrar of the Insurance Appeals Tribunal, for an insightful conversation on insurance, justice, and faster dispute resolution.

The conversations that matter.@elisonk

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

A lack of trust breeds fear, groupthink and weak accountability. High-performing boards thrive on psychological safety, constructive challenge and open communication.

Can your board speak the truth without fear?

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

THE ART OF BEING AN EFFECTIVE COMPANY SECRETARY, as our Guest @JanePBitek explained.

Watch the full conversation 👉https://t.co/b7Jp9EtHbB and gain valuable insights into corporate governance, leadership, and professional excellence.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more insightful conversations.

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

The major weakness I see is that the board is not taking responsibility for ensuring that the organisation’s culture is right. The culture is supposed to be aligned with the organisation’s values. If we say we value integrity, then everything we do must reflect integrity.

For instance, you may find that because someone is a minister’s daughter, she is considered untouchable. We have that problem in Uganda. Some people are treated as untouchable, meaning the rules are not applied uniformly. This reflects weaknesses in both the board and senior management. In some cases, they are failing to fulfil their responsibilities.

It is a bit different in many large private companies because they will sack you. They will sack you. However, having worked in a government setting, I have seen situations where someone makes a mistake in Kampala and is transferred to Arua, effectively transporting the same problem to Arua. Therefore, holding people accountable remains a major weakness. Watch Full Video https://t.co/b7Jp9EtHbB

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“I actually saw a report on TV about an investor who was leaving this country because people are too corrupt. We are losing out on investment opportunities because investors come from countries with a strong culture of integrity, only to encounter the opposite here in Uganda.

As a result, we lose out on investments. Even those who decide to invest here often find that they have to budget for bribes. When bribery becomes part of the process, the quality of work suffers, and the results are often substandard.

The person who is supposed to oversee the work may also be compromised and, therefore, may not care whether the work meets the required standards. Ultimately, it is the general public that suffers. It is bad, and it is not good.”

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“The secretary’s role is being made easier by technology. First, there is the board portal, which means we no longer have to print papers and circulate them to board members. The portal manages board papers, allows members to comment, and gives them the opportunity to review documents from previous meetings. So, it is very helpful.
Digital tools, especially AI, also assist the secretary with minute-taking. However, the caution we always give is that while AI can take minutes, it is not in the room and cannot read body language. Sometimes, the minutes it produces do not accurately reflect what the board intended.
Minutes should capture what the board meant, not just what was said. Often, when reviewing minutes, board members will say, ‘But that’s not what we meant.’
Therefore, the secretary still has to review the minutes produced by AI. But yes, technology has definitely made the work much easier.”

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“A secretary’s job is doable, and I’m alive to show for it. You can do it successfully and remain alive. We have a problem of integrity issues in Uganda, but the job is manageable.

As I read in one of the texts during my course, ‘If you want to make people happy, don’t come for this job. Go and sell ice cream.’

Dysfunctional boards are a challenge. There is what we call boardroom culture, which may differ from the wider organisational culture. However, what happens in the boardroom usually affects the entire organisation.

One of the first signs that something is wrong in a boardroom is a lack of trust among board members. When there is no trust, people become unwilling to be vulnerable.

Trust has an equation: credibility plus reliability plus intimacy, divided by self-orientation.

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

Thank You @JanePBitek @UgandaIcsa

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya, Chairperson of ICSA Uganda, shares how Professor Joe Oloka’s lectures on Company Law sparked her fascination with the role of a company secretary. After a brief experience in litigation at Egonda Ntende & Company Advocates in Jinja, she realised that court practice was not for her and decided to pursue a career in the corporate world. watch Full Video 👉 https://t.co/b7Jp9EtHbB

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“Most job adverts for company secretary positions now require the Chartered Governance Professional Qualification. I’ve seen people apply to Bank of Uganda and be rejected for not having it. Some had to come back and do the course just to become eligible.”

Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya, ICSA Uganda Chairperson speaking @JSConversations @elisonk

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“We have a problem in Uganda doing the wrong thing is normalized, and the person who speaks up becomes the problem. The mindset shift we drive for secretaries is: you are the conscience of the company. You are supposed to make sure the right thing is done.”

Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya, ICSA Uganda Chairperson speaking @JSConversations @elisonk

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“In government, when you make a problem in Kampala, they transfer you to Arua. But they’ve just transplanted the problem to Arua as well. That holding people accountable the failure of it is a fundamental governance weakness.”

Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya, ICSA Uganda Chairperson speaking @JSConversations @elisonk

[JSC Conversations @JSConversations]

“The major weakness I see is the board not owning up to its responsibility to ensure the culture is right. You’ll find that because this person is a minister’s daughter, she is untouchable. The rules are not uniformly applied. That accountability gap is where governance breaks down.”

Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya, ICSA Uganda Chairperson speaking @JSConversations @elisonk

[Joy E Mbabazi @IamTheSparrow]

Tonight 7PM EAT.

[Alfred Muyaaka @MuyaakaAlfred]

THE ART OF BEING AN EFFECTIVE COMPANY SECRETARY.

A great Company Secretary does more than take minutes. They help shape boardroom conversations, strengthen governance, guide decision-making, and ensure that good intentions translate into sound corporate practice.

But what does it truly take to become an effective Company Secretary? What separates someone who simply performs the role from someone who makes an indispensable contribution to the Board and the organisation?

This Wednesday on #JSConversations, we host Jane Okot P’Bitek Langoya, Chairperson of @UgandaIcsa , for a conversation on the art, practice and responsibility of being an effective Company Secretary.

We’ll explore the skills, professional judgement, relationships and habits that make the difference, and what it takes to excel in a role that sits at the heart of corporate governance.

Set a reminder to join us on https://t.co/Hs74OoxMqF

Or YouTube https://t.co/Mrap0alBtz