Logistics service providers in the East African region are celebrating their own after they were named among the 100 most influential supply chain women in Africa. The announcement was made on early September in celebration of women’s month this year.
Dr. Merian Sebunya, the current chairperson of the National Logistics Platform (NLP) in Uganda was named together with Ms. Josephine Nyebaza who is currently a programs officer in training and professionalism at the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), the regional private sector apex body of clearing and forwarding agents in East Africa representing over 2500 firms.
Dr. Sebunya served as FEAFFA president between 2014 and 2016. Her experience spans over two decades and she is among the founder members and the managing director of BTS Clearing and Forwarding Limited, one of the leading freight logistics in Uganda. She is today one of the few women leaders in the freight logistics industry in East Africa companies in Uganda and East Africa. Dr. Sebunya once served as the chairperson of Uganda Freight Forwarders Association (UFFA), a member of FEAFFA.
Dr. Merian is a Board member of Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) having previously chaired the Transport & Logistics Technical Working Group of the Presidential Investors Round Table Forum. She has formerly served on the Board of East African Business Council and of TradeMark East Africa, an organization of 12 Donor Countries and Development Partners supporting East African integration and increased trade.
Dr. Merian has also served and supported many public sector committees, fora and boards, in various ministries, e.g., Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Works & Transport, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of East African Community Affairs and the East African Community itself including negotiations of Common Market Protocol, Customs Union Protocol and wrote and presented the private sector position on the Single Customs Territory model that could be applied at the time and in the circumstances, which was the model adopted by the region – the ‘destination clearance’ model.
On the other hand, Ms. Josephine Nyebaza is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport (CMILT). She has previously served as the second Vice-Chairperson of Rwanda Freight Forwarders Association (RWAFFA) for nine (9) years. She is also a former chairperson of the Curriculum Implementation Committee (CIC) in East Africa region and was the secretary for platform of Professional Services Private Sector Federation (PSF).
Nyebaza is also a trainer of the East African Customs and Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate Course (EACFFPC), a six month a mandatory training program for all Customs Agents jointly implemented by the EAC directorate of Customs, the East Africa Revenue Authorities (EARAs) and the national associations of the freight forwarding industry affiliated to the FEAFFA. With support from Trademark East African (TMEA), under the EAC Logistics Skills Enhancement program, this training program is currently being updated to include a diploma and the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities that will keep agents abreast with the dynamics within the freight logistics industry.
Nyebaza is also a shareholder and the Managing Director of Intra Cargo LTD, a Clearing and Forwarding firm based in Rwanda. She has been in the Freight forwarding industry for over 10 years and is a holder of the EACFFPC certificate.
She has practical experience in Leadership, Administration, Logistics and Freight Forwarding.
The list of 100 most influential supply chain women in Africa also featured Judith Kariuki, associate director ASCM and Felicia Payin Marfo, Chief Vision Officer, PSL both from Kenya.
The award is an initiative of Sincpoint, a logistics and supply chain company from Johannesburg and (AWISCA) African Women in Supply Chain Association.
Sincpoint Pty (Ltd) is a 100% female black owned company aimed at unlocking value and creating sustainable solutions in supply chain. The organization is capacitated to optimize and facilitate the development and execution of procurement, logistics, information systems, distribution, and organizational strategies that reduce delivery lead-time & cost.
(AWISCA) African Women In Supply Chain Association focuses on elevating and transforming the Southern African supply chain skills in collaboration with a network of corporate, government entities, universities and industry at large.
