2: Africa Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network: The Journey Traveled so far
 

The International Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) held a historic International Symposium in Cape Town South Africa during the week of 17th April 2007. Among the participants were representatives of African countries including South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Lesotho, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, and Mauritius. Seizing the historic moment participants from these countries held a small side meeting during which the idea of establishing the Africa Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network (APS-HRMnet) was born. In addition to the representatives from the Africa countries, the side meeting was attended by: Mr. Kingston Rhodes, the Chairman of the International Civil Service Commission, Mr. John Lavelle from the World Bank, and Mr. John-Mary Kauzya from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs as well as Mr. Neil Reichenberg and Mr. Jackson of the IPMA-HRMs Odette Ramsingh, Director-General of the South African Public Service Commission and Chairperson of the Working Group on establishing the APS-HRMnet
 

Ms Odette Ramsingh, Director-General of the South African Public Service Commission and Chairperson of the Working Group on establishing the APS-HRMnet
 

The participants from African countries observed that their participation in the symposium was an eye opener to the need for professionalizing human resource management in the Public Sector in Africa and networking for purposes of enhancing the capacity of human resource management in the public sector.  They expressed congratulations to the Public Service Commission of South Africa for having organized and hosted a very successful Symposium, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) for having funded their participation, and the IPMA-HR for having accepted to hold its international symposium and conference for the first time in Africa.

It was then proposed that the participants from African countries gathered in Cape Town be a nucleus to form an international network of human resource managers in the Public Sector in Africa to mobilize, coordinate and support the growth and strengthening of the capacity of human resource managers in the public sector in Africa.   The idea was well received and discussions were held on how to take the first steps to move forward to nurture and implement the formation of the network. It was proposed that there be a smaller group of seven people to work and concretize the proposal of forming the network especially in preparing a background documents that would help to shape the thinking further. The background documents would be shared first among the members of the smaller group and then later shared with the rest of the participants in the Cape Town meeting. Participants were invited to volunteer to be part of the 7 member group and the following volunteered: Mr. Mpendulo Mazibuko, Principal Human Resources Officer from Ministry of Public Service and information of Swaziland, Ms. Odette Ramsingh the Director General of the Public Service Commission of South Africa, Ms. Adah Kabalokole Muwanga, Commissioner for Human Resource Development, Ministry of Public Service of Uganda, Ms. Jennifer Karimi Njiru, from the Public Service Commission of Kenya, Ms. Nonurse Jully Ladimo, Human Resources Manager, Cabinet Office, of the Kingdom of  Lesotho, Ms. Thecla Shangali, Secretary to the Public Service Commission of Tanzania, Ms. Angelina Ungele, AAPAM Young Professional at Mzumbe University in Tanzania, and Ms. Rose Shanice Chowawa Maleta, Human Resource Development Officer, Department of Human Resources Management and Development, Malawi, Ms. Odette Ramsingh was requested to chair the group and Mr. Mazibuko, and Ms. Muwanga volunteered to prepare the first draft of the background document.

The Working Group on Establishing the APS-HRMnet later expanded and is currently comprised of: Ms. Odette Ramsingh, Director General, Public Service Commission, South Africa, Mrs. Thecla Shangali, Secretary Public Service Commission, Tanzania, Ms. Adah Kabarokole Muwanga, Director Human Resource Management, Ministry of Public Service, Uganda, Mr. Mpendulo Mazibuko, Principal Human Resource Officer, Ministry of Public Service and Information, Swaziland, Ms. Nonurse July Ledimo, Director Human Resources, Prime Minister’s Office, Kingdom of Lesotho, Ms. Jennifer Karimi Njiru, Councillor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya, Ms. Rose Shanice Chowawa Maleta, Human Resource Development Officer, Department of Human Resources Management and Development, Malawi, Ms. Angelina Ungele, AAPAM Young professional, Mzumbe University, Tanzania, Mr. Admill H Simpson, Deputy Director General Public Service Commission, South Africa, Mr. Donald S Ndagula, Deputy Secretary Public Service Commission, Tanzania, Mr. T. Teke, Head Organization and Post Classification, Federal Civil Service Agency, Ethiopia, Mr. John-Mary Kauzya, Chief of Governance and Public Administration Branch, UNDESA and Prof. Yolamu Barongo, Secretary General, of the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM). Thus the Working Group of the APS-HRMnet increased in composition form 7 to 13 Members. The Group has been administratively supported by Ms. Almaz Atnafu Woldekidane, Senior Governance and Public Administration officer UNDESA

The idea of establishing the Africa Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network and professionalising human resource management in the Public sector in Africa was presented and discussed extensively during the 29th AAPAM Roundtable Conference which took place in Mbabane, Swaziland, from 3 to 7 September 2007. The AAPAM Roundtable conference constituted a Working bigger Group to discuss the problematic of professionalising human resource management in the Public sector in Africa. The Group was composed of 30 members from ten countries and Mr. John-Mary Kauzya a representative of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
 

Ms. Thecla Shangali, Secretary Public Service Commission, Tanzania, Member of the Working Group on establishing the APS-HRMnet
 

The Conference Working Group in Mbabane underscored the need for strengthening professional capacities for human resource management in the Public Sector in Africa and considered it critical that the initiative of professionalising human resource management in the Public Sector in Africa be given serious attention because:
 

• Professional Human Resource Management is a critical component of strategic public     service delivery given their understanding of human resources and what makes them     productive. The value of professional human resource management is either     misunderstood or not appreciated within most bureaucratic structures

• Human resource management experts are very few or non-existent, not positioned     strategically and in most cases marginalised from strategic decision-making structures.  

•  There is a need to formulate, and advise on, best practices in designing human resource     policies and strategies

•  Human resource policies and strategies have to be geared towards the effective utilisation     of resources towards bringing about change that adds value to the bottom-line of public     service delivery

• Professional Human Resource Management has to be premised on competence and     ethics and be supported by standards, codes and legislation

• Like other professions, Human Resource management professionals need to develop     their capacity through their home-grown networks and institutes.

• Reputable Human Resource Management networks, associations and institutes are     critical   in developing and professionalising human resource management.
 

Further emphasizing the need for professionalizing the management of human resources in Africa the Conference Working Group in Mbabane made the following observations on the African context in relation to Human Resource management in the Public Sector:
 

•  Some ministries still operate in the Personnel Management paradigm as opposed to the     Human Resource management paradigm

• Consequently some ministries and countries relegate Human Resource issues and     challenges to administrative/clerk levels while others position Human Resource     management  at strategic/director levels.

• Some countries have Legislation for the Human Resource management profession     stipulating: Minimum Qualifications, Accreditation, Human Resource management     training courses, Certification, Human Resource Management Practitioners based on     career paths, Codified Human Resource Management Ethics, Continuous certified     professional development, etc.

•  Some employers insist on Statutory and Professional requirements for Human Resource     Managers

• Some executive managers have negative attitudes towards Human Resource     management practitioners

•  Some bureaucracies have rigid rules that frustrate Human Resource management      innovation

•   There are no regulatory mechanisms for Human Resource management variables

•  Some ministries lack documented Human Resource Management and development      policies and strategies

•   In such contexts some ministries still depend on external Human Resource Management      Consultants
 

The Conference Working Group therefore confirmed that the establishment of the Africa Public Sector Human Resource Manager’s Network would contribute in no small measure to the promotion of the development of sound human resource management capacity throughout the African continent. The primary objective with the establishment of such a network would be to facilitate the sharing of knowledge, information, best practices, and capacity building amongst African Public Sector human resource management professionals.
 

John-Mary Kauzya, Chief of GPAB, UNDESA and Member of the Working Group for establishing the APS-HRMnet
 

The Conference Working Group encouraged the initial Group that was formed in Cape Town to continue working on the establishment of the APS-HRMnet and presented its conclusions and recommendations in a plenary session of the AAPAM Roundtable Conference which were accepted. The Communiqué from the Roundtable Conference expressed the support for the initiative of forming APS-HRMnet in the following terms: “The conference noted that the human resource management functions continued to be taken as clerical/operational functions in the public services.  This tends to downplay the critical strategic role which the human resource plays in organizational performance.  There is need for countries to accord this function a higher status and develop some specific training for the cadres responsible for this function.  In that regard the conference commended the efforts that to launch an initiative for strengthening and professionalizing the management of the Human Resource function the Public Sector in Africa.  This initiative should be encouraged and supported as a key component or a network operating under the auspices of AAPAM”.  It was recommended that the initial efforts should be put into creating a strong Africa Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network (APS-HRMnet) which may then later be turned into and Association if need be. The Group further requested UNDESA to continue supporting the initial nurturing of the Network in collaboration with AAPAM as part of support for capacity building of the Public Service in Africa.

Following the encouraging response and recommendation from the Mbabane AAPAM Roundtable Conference, the Working Group convened again in Kampala, Uganda, in a small UNDESA sponsored workshop; ‘Capacity Building Workshop for Human Resource Management in Africa: Professionalizing Human Resource Management in the Public Service’ which was held as a side workshop during the bigger  one; “Workshop for Enhancing the Performance of African Public Service Commissions and other Appointing Commissions/Authorities”  which took place in Kampala, Uganda from 7th to 11th April 2008 hosted by the Uganda Public Service Commission under the auspices of the African Association for Public Administration and Management (AAPAM) and with support form the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC).

During the workshop the Working Group which was joined by Ethiopia and the Secretary General of AAPAM held a meeting with Uganda’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Public Service, Hon. Mrs. Prisca Sezi and further discussed the APS-HRMnet proposed objectives, activities, and way forward. The Minister encouraged the Group and assured them of political support in the work of establishing the APS-HRMnet and professionalizing Human Resource management in the Public Sector in Africa.  The Working Group laid out a calendar for the way forward including the following preparatory activities:
 

•   Briefing the Chairperson of the Pan Africa Conference of Ministers of Public Service,      Mrs. Geraldine Frazer Moleketi who is the Minister of Public Service and     Administration of South Africa,

•   Finalizing the preparatory documents establishing the APS-HRMnet,

•  Putting a news letter announcing the APS-HRMnet on the websites of AAPAM,      UNPAN, IPMA-HR and other friendly organizations who share the same concern for      strengthening the capacity of Human Resource managers in the Public Sector in Africa,

•   Holding another meeting of the Working Group during the 30th AAPAM Roundtable      Conference in Accra, Ghana in October 2008 to present the documents of      the APS-HRMnet to the AAPAM Roundtable

•   Holding the very first capacity building workshop for the APS-HRMnet on “Capacity      Building for Human Resource Development Policy and Strategy in Africa” to take place      in Tanzania, in February 2009 and to be attended by Ministers responsible for Public      Service in Africa, Human Resource managers in Ministries of Public Service and Public      Service Commissions and other appointing authorities, representatives of Management      Development Institutes in Africa and Development partners interested in supporting      Africa Public sector to develop its capacities for managing its human resource

•   Officially launching the APS-HRMnet during that Workshop.
 

Following the workshop, Dr. John-Mary Kauzya of UNDESA met with the Chairperson of the Pan African Conference of Ministers of Public Service, Mrs. Geraldine Frazer Moleketi, Minister of Public Service and Administration of South Africa in New York in April 2008 and in Ankara Turkey in June 2008 and briefed her on the progress and objectives of establishing the APS-HRMnet and requested her to present it to her colleagues the Ministers responsible for Public Service in Africa to ensure that the activities of the Network are part and parcel of the program of the Pan Africa Conference of Ministers of Public Service in its quest fro improved public service capacities on the continent. The Minister was enthusiastic about the idea, and in August 2008, the documents of the APS-HRMnet that had so far been drafted were forwarded to her.
 

Some of the Members of the Working Group on Establishing the APS-HRMnet during the 30th AAPAM
Roundtable Conference in Accra Ghana from 6th – 10 October 2008. From right: July Nonurse Ledimo of
Lesotho, Mpendulo Mazibuko of Swaziland, John-Mary Kauzya of UNDESA, Thecla Shangali of Tanzania,
Adah Kabarokole Muwanga of Uganda, Rose Chowawa of Malawi, Jennifer Njiru of Kenya, and Angelina Ungele of  Tanzania

A “Communiqué on the Establishment of an African Public Sector Human Resource Managers Network” was prepared and distributed during the 30th AAPAM Roundtable Conference held in Accra Ghana from 6th to 10th October 2008.The Working Group organized another workshop during the 30th AAPAM Roundtable Conference held in Accra Ghana from 6 to 10 October 2008 during which the draft Constitution and Rules of the Network were discussed and improved by a wider audience. The AAPAM 30th Roundtable Conference in Accra endorsed the efforts to form the APS-HRMnet in the following terms expressed in the Communiqué issued at the end of the Conference. “There is need to modernize and professionalize the human resource function in public service organizations.  In that regard, African public services must position the Human Resource Management function by recruiting competent and professional HR practitioners, providing training and development opportunities and according them a supportive work environment.  To this effect, the participants endorsed the initiative being taken to establish an Africa Public Sector Human Resource Managers’ Network and urged African governments to accord it the required support.  It was noted that the Government of Tanzania has already started working with UNDESA to organize capacity building events in strategies for human resource development in the public sector.  All African Governments are urged to send Human Resource Managers for this training”.

The Conference Working Group that discussed the Constitution had representatives of 22 countries as well as representatives of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The constitution and other Constitutive documents will be presented for adoption during the Capacity Building Workshop in Arusha Tanzania in February 2009 and then the Network will officially be launched
 

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