The Leadership

Mr. Stephen A. K. Magezi is a NEMA Certified and Gazetted Environmental Practitioner and Auditor with over 30 years of experience in environmental management and involuntary resettlements [Both at Design Phase and Implementation level] He is a founder member of the NEAP process that led to formation of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) where he was the Secretary to the Energy and Climate Change theme group. He has extensive experience in Atmospheric, Physical and other Environmental Sciences particularly with respect to Environmental Impact Assessments Monitoring, Management, Compliance, and Atmospheric Pollution, Climate and climate change and Energy related studies.

He has a long track record in due diligence, environment and social safeguards, involuntary resettlements, environmental and social monitoring and mitigation assessment, at multilateral level with deep understanding of IFC Performance standards, JICA Guidelines for Environmental and Social Considerations, World Bank, European Union, and African Development Bank Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies. Additionally, He has a comprehensive and unique understanding of government regulations and guidelines in Uganda. He has been specially trained in Tropical Urban Pollution Potential Assessment, which further increased his knowledge in both tropical and temperate environments. His knowledge and ability to develop effective Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan is overwhelming. He has good working knowledge of climate risk management, disaster risk reduction and global climate change. Regarding climate and climate change, he has been recognised by the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as a Lead Author who contributed to IPCC’s being awarded the Nobel peace prize (2007).

As a Lead Author, one of his latest publications (ETAL) supported by UNEP is Climate Change and Sustainable Urban Development in Africa and Asia (Climate Change and Sustainable Housing in Uganda).

Mrs. Gertrude Binta Magezi is a NEMA Certified and Gazetted Environmental Practitioner with over 30 years of experience in Environmental Management, Involuntary Resettlements and Administration. She has experience in managing, supervising and monitoring, socio-economic studies, environmental impact studies and resettlement studies of infrastructural programmes and projects in rural and urban settings. She is a founder member of the NEAP which was the predecessor of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) where she was the Project’s Resource Person for Gender Issues in the NEAP process. She has particularly undertaken impact assessments on many projects and programs in the country and has working knowledge of JICA Guidelines for Environmental and Social Considerations, IFC Performance standards, World Bank, European Union and African Development Bank Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies and Project Design and Evaluation procedures. She also has extensive knowledge and experience in data collection using participatory programmes and structured methodologies, preparation and monitoring of implementation of Resettlement Action Plans (RAP), promotion of awareness and mitigation of HIV/AIDS, gender mainstreaming and community relations monitoring. She has gathered extensive experience in identification and evaluation of social/gender risks. [Both at Design Phase and Implementation level]

She has a long track record in due diligence, social monitoring and mitigation assessment at multilateral level.

MRS. ENID KABASINGUZI OCAYA is a NEMA Certified and Gazetted Environmental Practitioner with over 15 years of experience in Environmental Management, Involuntary Resettlements and Administration. She has experience in managing, supervising and monitoring, socio-economic studies, environmental impact studies and resettlement studies of infrastructural programmes and projects in rural and urban settings. She has particularly undertaken impact assessments on many projects and programs in the country and has working knowledge of JICA Guidelines for Environmental and Social Considerations, IFC Performance standards, World Bank, European Union and African Development Bank Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies and Project Design and Evaluation procedures. She also has extensive knowledge and experience in data collection using participatory programmes and structured methodologies, preparation and monitoring of implementation of Resettlement Action Plans (RAP),

Ms. Edith Birungi Kahubire has extensive experience in undertaking socio-economic and environmental impact assessment studies in different sectors, especially within major infrastructure projects that include roads and transportation projects, water and sanitation, electrification lines, oil and gas exploration. As specifically regards the energy sector, she is involved as Principal Sociologist and Natural Resources Economist on the Lira-Gulu-Agago Electricity Line, Mirama-Kikagati –Nsongezi line and the 400kv interconnection line between Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.Edith has worked with the Karuma and Agago hydropower dams. Since 2012 she worked as Environmental Management Specialist for supervision of Kamwenge Kazo Road for Uganda National Roads Authority.

Ms. Edith’s consultancy experience also includes feasibility studies and program design. Throughout her career she has been involved in a number of projects dealing with the resettled population wherein she was in charge of resettlement action planning, namely in the infrastructure development, energy, and oil and gas sector. For instance, in 2012 she was engaged as Natural Resources Economist within the Feasibility Study and Detailed Engineering Design for the Upgrading of Kampala Jinja (72Km) Road Project. She had the same role also within the Environmental Impact Assessment and Resettlement Action Plan for proposed upgrading of Hoima-Kaiso-Tonya Road in Hoima District.

Ms. Edith is particularly knowledgeable of natural resources management, stakeholder engagement, gender management, and inclusive development. She has provided services for construction supervision of Kamwenge Kazo Road (75 km) where she provided advisories on gender management, environment, occupational health and safety as well as community health and safety. She has a long track record in due diligence, social monitoring and mitigation assessment at multilateral level with deep understanding of IFC Performance standards, World Bank and ADB Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies. Additionally, Ms. Edith has unique understanding of government regulations and guidelines in Uganda.

Her skills also span over environmental and social action plan implementation, strategic environment assessment, ecosystem analysis, restoration and mitigation management, and she has a good understanding of climate change adaptation strategies and in particular REDD+ strategies.

Mr. James Magezi-Akiiki is a seasoned professional with extensive expertise in climate change and meteorology. As the former Manager in charge of Networks Operations at the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), he played a vital role in managing climate-related operations. James has served as Uganda's National Focal Point for the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and held the position of Desk Officer for climate change at UNMA.

With a Master of Science Degree specializing in hydro-meteorology and climatology, James possesses a strong educational background in his field. He has actively engaged with climate change issues in Uganda since 1993 and has been involved in numerous climate change projects. His contributions to national, regional, and international climate change research, workshops, seminars, and negotiations, including the Conference of Parties (COP), have been significant.

James's expertise extends to reviewing National Inventories of Greenhouse Gases and National Communications on Climate Change, making him a trained reviewer. He has participated in several international reviews and received recognition from the IPCC for his work, contributing to the award of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to the organization.

As a member and National Secretary of the Uganda Meteorological Society, James is actively involved in advancing meteorological practices in the country. Additionally, he is an environmental practitioner, participating in Environmental Impact Assessment exercises and serving as a member of the Task Force responsible for preparing the State of Environment Reports (SOERs) under the guidance of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). James's extensive experience and contributions make him a valuable asset in the field of climate change and environmental management.