To some people in Uganda, on hearing the title vice president, they think that the one occupying this office must be a very complicated person who can’t be approached easily due to the clout that comes with this position.
Some even think, the vice president doesn’t hold a mobile phone or has no time to talk to people who need him or her!
Whereas this maybe true depending on the character of the holder of this office, the current vice president Maj. Jessica Rose Alupo Epel is a different story!
Gone are days when the vice president would not interact with ordinary people but instead always kept in the space traveling abroad or chose to speak through protocol.
To Alupo, everything is possible. From making personal interactions with people including legislators to investors, Alupo finds time to interact with the youths.
This was proven when she recently devoted time off her busy schedule and met leaders of National Youth Council at her office.
Indeed her meetings are always cordial and interactive and usually end with strong breakthroughs in form of resolutions made.
This has therefore made her a darling to many other groups and it’s the reason her office has become another busy bee compared to other government departments. Not only does she answer phonecalls, but also finds time to engage those on social media platforms if the situation warrants. Where it requires on-spot inspection, you will find her there! One will find her in National Medical Stores, Mulago health facility etcetera; all interventions meant to improve on service delivery to wanainchi!
a top inspector told this news site.
“The VP remains calm and keeps on her lane ad the vice president yet very effective and efficient”
Indeed we are told Alupo on a good day, will start her work with a prayer at her home for devine intervention and then quickly proceeds to office very early and she’s among the last officers to leave office.
In fact, some officers in government now equate her time management antics to those of former prime minister Apollo Robinson Nsibambi.
says one the inspectors in her office.
“If Nsibambi gave you an appointment at 10am sharp, be sure he would be there at 10am sharp. This is the kind of a leader Alupo is. She’s time conscious and always wants to account for every minute that goes. This is why even some media practitioners couldn’t catch up with her handover (from former VP) ceremony. They were told at exactly 8am and some came at 9am. They found the function had ended. This is Alupo. She gets to office early and leaves very late after meeting everyone who wants to meet her”
On fixing gaps in government departments, ministries and agencies, Alupo almost every week holds a meeting with two or three of the MDAs where they give her an update on progress reports and pending issues. She has for example met the management of National Planning Authority, she has met officials from finance, donors, investors and a line of other dignitaries in the country.
Alupo, among several meetings she made today was to meet Danish investors. The team met her at her office where they discussed about agribusiness, agro-industrialization and marketing.
This move is meant to benefit the two countries in trade and the citizens of Uganda. So interested in pushing Uganda to the much-desired middle income status, Alupo who’s also the woman MP for Katakwi will approach highest ranking offices in the land if that’s what it takes to discuss and get solutions.
She recently met her boss President Yoweri Museveni and also went ahead to meet the coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho better known as Salim Saleh in Gulu. This is why a few weeks ago, she was able to relieve the president of a huge hitherto unfulfilled pledge he made sometime back to youth, women, mosque and church of Katakwi. The president gave her shs100m which she religiously delivered in it’s rightful portions of shs20m each.
Not only has she picked interest in national and constituency issues, but also our foreign policy is of great concern to her. This is the reason several ambassadors have made visits to her office to brief her on the bilateral relations that exist between Uganda and her neighbors. A case in point is her meeting with the ambassador of Uganda to Ethiopia HE Rebecca Amuge Otengo. Those who have been following regional issues, Ethiopia is a strategic area for Uganda. For example, it’s where the African Union is headquartered and besides, it’s a member of the IGAD where Uganda is also a member.
an inspector added.
“Ethiopia has been an ally to Uganda in the fight against terrorism in the region. Therefore, if the VP chooses to understand the goings-on in relation to our cooperation, this is something that must be welcomed”
VP Alupo with Danish investors at her office 
Back home where she hails from, Alupo has chosen to play politics of unity of purpose as opposed to playing petty politics. This is why recently, she rallied MPs and top cream from her Teso sub-region to work as a group regardless of their political or economic stand.
“She’s out of petty politics working harmoniously virtually with everyone. This is going to help us on mobilization of Teso” an inspector said.
Recently, she told national broadcaster-UBC that she likes listening more than talking. To her, the more she listens, the more opportunity she gives the other person to freely express him or herself and it’s out of this, that she can ably prescribe a solution.
A soldier by profession, the former education minister Alupo has a soft heart for gals who want to join the armed forces but are still fearing about joining thinking they will be discriminated. She keeps giving confidence to such ladies that there’s no favoritism in the army and everyone is treated the same way depending on performance.
Watch the space!
