National Planning Authority, 2002

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Short title: 

National Planning Authority

Date of promulgation: 

19 June 2002

Date of commencement: 

12 July 2002

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THE NATIONAL PLANNING AUTHORITY ACT, 2002.
______
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS.
Section.
PART I—PRELIMINARY.
1. Citation.
2. Interpretation.
3. Authority to be body corporate.
4. Oath of member.
PART II—COMPOSITION OF THE AUTHORITY.
5. Composition of Authority.
6. Remuneration of members.
PART III—FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY.
7. Functions of Authority.
8. Status of Authority.
PART IV—THE SECRETARIAT.
9. The Secretariat;
PART V—FINANCE.
10. Financial year.
11. Funds of Authority.
12. Accounts and audit.
PART VI—MISCELLANEOUS.
13. Meetings of Authority.
14. Seal of Authority.
15. Authority to be independent.
16. Protection for members and staff of Authority.
17. Action for non compliance.
18. Reports.
19. Regulations.
20. Statutory Instrument to be laid before Parliament.
21. President to assign Minister.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Oath of Member of Authority
SECOND SCHEDULE
Meetings of Authority
THE NATIONAL PLANNING AUTHORITY ACT, 2002.
An Act to provide for the composition and functions of the National Planning
Authority in accordance with article 125 of the Constitution and for other
related matters.
DATE OF ASSENT: 19the June, 2002.
Date of Commencement: 12the July, 2002.
BE IT ENACTED by Parliament as follows:
PART I—PRELIMINARY.
1. Citation
This Act may be cited as the National Planning Authority Act, 2002.
2. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“Authority” means the National Planning Authority established by article
125 of the Constitution;
“Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Authority;
“Deputy-Chairperson” means Deputy-Chairperson of the Authority;
“Executive Director’ means the Executive Director appointed under section
9 of this Act;
“Member” means a Member of Authority;
“Minister” means the Minister to whom the functions of Minister under
section 21 of this Act are assigned by the President.
3. Authority to be body corporate
The Authority shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common
seal and may sue or be sued in its-corporate name and may, subject to the provisions
of this Act, do, enjoy or suffer anything that may be done, enjoyed or suffered by a
body corporate.
4. Oath of member
Every member of the Authority shall, before assuming his or her duties as a
member, take and subscribe the oath specified in the First Schedule to this Act.
PART II—COMPOSITION OF THE AUTHORITY.
5. Composition of the Authority
(1) The Authority shall consist of a Chairperson, a Deputy-Chairperson and
three other members appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament.
(2) A person to be appointed a member of the Authority shall have
minimum qualifications of a masters degree with proven experience in the relevant
field.
(3) The Authority shall have the following bodies affiliated to it, and their
heads shall be ex-officio members of the Authority—
(a) the Uganda Bureau of Statistics;
(b) the Economic Policy Research Centre;
(c) National Council for Science and Technology;
(d) Population Secretariat;
(e) the Local Government Finance Commission;
(f) the body responsible for human resource development
planning;
(g) Town and Country Planning Board;
(h) the Non-Governmental Organisations Forum;
(i) The Uganda National Chamber of Commerce;
(j) the Uganda National Farmers Association;
(k) National Agricultural Research Organisation;
(l) the Treasury;
(m) National Environmental Management Authority;
(n) Uganda Manufacturers Association; and
(o) the Equal Opportunities Commission.
(4) The members of the Authority shall hold office for five years and their
appointment may be renewed for one more term only.
(5) A member of [he Authority may be removed from office by the
President only for—
(a) inability to perform the functions of his or her office arising out of
physical or mental incapacity;
(b) misbehaviour or misconduct;
(c) incompetence; or
(d) failure to attend more than three consecutive meetings of the
Authority without just cause.
(6) The Minister may, by statutory instrument amend the membership of the
Authority under subsection (2) of this section.
(7) The Chairperson and members of the Authority shall be on full time
appointment and shall provide policy guidance and monitor and supervise the
Executive Director in the performance of his or her duties.
6. Remuneration of members
The members of the Authority shall be paid such sitting and other allowances
as the Minister may, with the approval of Cabinet determine.
PART III—FUNCTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY.
7. Functions of Authority
(1) The primary function of the Authority is to produce comprehensive and
integrated development plans for the country elaborated in terms of the perspective
vision and the long term and medium term plans.
(2) In pursuance of its primary planning a study and publish independent
assessments of key economic and social policy issues and options so as to increase
public understanding and participation in the economic and social policy debate;
(f) liaise with the private sector and civil society in the evaluation of
Government performance and identifying filling gaps in Government
policies and programmes;
(g) review high priority development issues and needs and make
recommendations;
(h) ensure that all national plans are gender and disability sensitive; and
(i) design and implement programmes to develop planning capacity in local
governments.
(3) In the performance of its functions, the Authority shall—
(a) study and analyse strategic economic and structural reform policies;
(b) make proposals for innovative programmes and policies taking into
consideration the resource potential and comparative advantage of
Uganda and its different districts and the need for effective poverty
eradication measures;
(c) monitor the performance of the decentralised system of development
planning and finance and propose such institutional innovations as
may be required for its improved operation;
(d) conduct in-depth evaluation of the impact and cost of selected
development programmes; and
(e) perform such other functions relating to development planning as the
President may direct.
(4) The Authority in performance of its duties under this Act may compel
any public body or organisation to provide any information or do anything relevant
to planning.
8. Status of Authority
(1) The Authority shall be the national co-ordinating body of the decentralised
planning system.
(2) The decentralised planning system shall be regulated by statutory
instrument issued by the Minister.
(3) The Minister shall by statutory instrument provide for submission of
development plans to the Authority.
(4) A district planning committee shall initiate and prepare district
development plans in the manner prescribed by the Authority.
(5) A Ministry or sector shall prepare a plan, and shall submit it to the
Authority whose duty shall be to harmonise all the plans from various Ministries or
sectors for the purpose of formulating a national plan.
(6) A plan formulated by the authority shall be submitted to the Minister
who shall cause it to be submitted to Parliament for approval and adoption.
PART IV—THE SECRETARIAT.
9. The Secretariat
(1) The Authority shall have u Secretariat which shall be responsible for the
day-to-day operations of the Authority.
(2) The Secretariat shall have such directorates as may be necessary to
incorporate social, economic, special and community initiative dimensions of its
planning functions.
(3) The Secretariat shall be headed by the Executive Director who shall be
appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Authority.
(4) The Executive Director shall hold office for four years but shall be
eligible to re-appointment.
(5) The terms and conditions of the Executive Director shall be determined
by the Authority in consultation with the Minister.
(6) The Executive Director shall be a person with minimum qualifications of
a masters degree with proven experience in management, planning and
administration.
(7) The Executive Director may be removed by the Minister on the
recommendation of the Authority only for—
(a) inability to perform the functions of his or her office arising out of
physical or mental incapacity; or
(b) misbehaviour or misconduct; or
(c) incompetence.
(8) In addition to any other functions that may be conferred upon him or her
by any other law or by the Authority, the Executive Director shall—
(a) have custody of the seal of the Authority;
(b) be secretary to the Authority.
(9) There shall be such other officers and employees of the Authority as the
Authority may determine.
(10) The number and categories of staff to be employed by the Authority
under subsection (9) shall be determined by the Authority with the approval of the
Minister.
(11) The employee of the Authority other than the Executive Director, shall
be appointed by the Authority on such terms and conditions as the Authority may,
with the approval of the Minister determine.
PART V—FINANCE.
10. Financial year
The financial year of the Authority shall be the same as the financial year of the
Government.
11. Funds of Authority
(1) All funds of the Authority shall be administered and controlled by the
Executive Director who shall be the Accounting Officer in accordance with the
Public Finance Act.
(2) All monies required to defray all expenses that may be incurred in the
discharge of the functions of the Authority or in the carrying out of the purposes of
this Act, including the payment of allowances, salaries and pensions payable to or in
respect of persons serving with the Authority, shall be submitted to Parliament for
approval without alteration and when so approved shall be directly charged on the
Consolidated Fund.
(3) The funds of the Authority may, with the prior approval of the Minister
include grants and donations from sources within or outside Uganda to enable the
Authority to discharge its functions.
12. Accounts and audit
(1) The Authority shall maintain accounts of all its incomes and expenditure in
a form approved by the Auditor General.
(2) The accounts of the Authority shall be audited by the Auditor General in
accordance with article 163 of the Constitution.
PART VI—MISCELLANEOUS.
13. Meetings of Authority
The Second Schedule shall apply to meetings of the Authority.
14. Seal of Authority
The Authority shall have a seal which shall be in such form as the Authority
may determine and shall, subject to the provisions of any law, be applied in such
circumstances as the Authority may determine.
15. Authority to be independent
The Authority shall not be directed by any authority or influenced by anybody
while evaluating the performance of a Ministry or sector with regard to the targets
set out in a plan.
16. Protection for members and staff of Authority
A member of the Authority or an employee of the Authority or any other person
performing any function of the Authority under the direction of the Authority shall
not be personally liable to any civil proceedings for any act done in good faith in the
performance of those functions.
17. Action for non compliance
Where a Ministry, Department or district committee or person does not comply
with the provisions of this Act, the Chairperson of the Authority shall, in writing
inform the Minister, who shall in turn inform the President and the President shall
take appropriate action in the matter.
18. Reports
(1) The Authority shall submit to the Minister an annual report of its activities
containing such information as the Minister may direct.
(2) The Authority shall, as the Minister may direct, also submit to the
Minister, from time to time, reports on the performance of Ministries, sectors and
local governments and their performance relevant to implementation of the
planning.
(3) The Minister shall as soon as possible after receiving the annual report
of the Authority cause it to be laid before Parliament.
19. Regulations
(1) The Minister may on the recommendation of the Authority or on his own
initiative, by statutory instrument make regulations for giving full effect to the
provisions of this Act.
(2) For the avoidance of doubt, the Minister shall on recommendation of the
Authority or on his or her own initiative, by statutory instrument, make regulations
providing for the procedures to be followed by the relevant bodies in the initiation of
the planning process up to the final approval of the national plans by the Parliament.
20. Statutory Instrument to be laid before Parliament
Any statutory instrument made under this Act shall be laid before Parliament.
21. President to assign Minister
The President shall assign a Minister for the implementation of this Act within
thirty days after its assent.
SCHEDULES.
FIRST SCHEDULE.
SECTION 4
OATH OF MEMBER OF AUTHORITY.
I, …………………… being appointed Chairperson/Member of the National Planning
Authority swear in the name of the Almighty God/solemnly affirm that I will well and truly
exercise the functions of Chairperson/Member of the Authority in accordance with the laws
of the Republic of Uganda without fear or favour, affection or ill will. (So help me God).
SECOND SCHEDULE.
SECTION 13
MEETINGS OF AUTHORITY.
1. (1) Meetings of the Authority shall be convened by the Chairperson.
(2) The Authority shall meet as often as is necessary for the transaction of business
and al such places and times as the Authority may determine but it shall meeì¥ majority of
the Members.
(5) Notice of a meeting of the Authority under sub-paragraph (4) shall be given in
writing to each member al least five days before the day of the meeting, but an urgent
meeting may be called at less than five days notice at the request of two or more members.
2. (1) The Authority may co-opt any person to assist it as an adviser at any meeting of
the Authority but any person so co-opted shall have no vote in the proceedings al that
meeting.
(2) A person co-opted under this paragraph may be paid such allowance as the
Authority may determine with the approval of the Minister responsible for finance.
3. The quorum at any meeting of the Authority shall be three members.
4. (1) All questions proposed for decision at any meeting of the Authority shall be
decided by a majority of the votes of the Members present and in case of an equality of
votes, the person presiding shall have a casting vote in addition to his or her deliberative
vote.
(2) A decision may be made, by the Authority without a meeting by circulation of
the relevant papers among the members of the Authority and by the expression of the view
of the majority of the members in writing, but any member is entitled to require that the
decision be deterred and the matter on which decision is sought be considered at a meeting
of the Authority.
5. (1) The Authority shall cause to be recorded and kept, minutes of all its meetings in
a manner prescribed by the Authority.
(2) The minutes recorded under sub-paragraph (I) shall be submitted to and
confirmed by the Authority at its meeting and minutes shall be signed by the Chairperson
and the Executive Director in the presence of the other members present at that meeting.
6. Subject to the provisions of this Schedule, the Authority may regulate its own
proceedings.