The Monitor (Kampala)

Uganda: Movers & Shakers - The New Brains Steering Mengo

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Emmanuel Ssendaula was appointed the interim Kingdom premier (Katikkiro) after the sacking of Daniel Muliika. He was Mr Muliika's deputy and education minister. He is well-educated with a vast experience in regional cooperation. He has served as an Ambassador in France, DR Congo, Australia, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. He has also served in Greece and in Unesco.

Nelson Kawalya Kaggwa retained his post as health minister. He is also a respected Rotarian.

David Mpanga is the pioneer state minister for research. Mr Mpanga is a lawyer working with A.F Mpanga Advocates. He shaped his prominence during the high profile case of Dr Kizza Besigye in which the state levelled rape and treason charges against the former army man.

Arthur Bagunywa is the minister for heritage, royal tombs, tourism and cooperatives. He is among the long serving ministers in Mengo and survived the recent cabinet reshuffle that saw some of his colleagues dropped. During Katikkiro Mulwanyamuli Ssemwogerere's time, Mr Bagunywa made strides to market the kingdom cultural sites to become internationally recognised tourist attraction centres. He is also MP for Mityana South.

Hajj Sulaiman Lubega Kaddunabbi is speaker of the Lukiiko. He is serving his second tenure in the seat having replaced Hajj Mahabuba Ssemakalu who was relieved of his duties in December 2005. He is father to Butambala County MP Ibrahim Lubega Kaddubabbi

Eng. Herbert R.Kibuuka is the state minister for Industries. He has not been active in the past years since there no industries run by the kingdom.

Jolly Lutaaya is serving his second term as minister for local government. He is among the few longest serving officials at Mengo and one of the directors in Central Broadcasting Services radio.

Fred Masagazi Masazi is the new state minister for education. He formerly served as the kingdom's commissioner for education. Mr Masagazi is among the few people with PhD's in Luganda language. He will unleash his expertise after the introduction of the proposed government policy of teaching primary pupils in indigenous languages. The new primary school thematic curriculum emphasises the use of a child's first language as a medium of instruction before a second language is introduced.

Festo Higiiro Semajege has served as deputy speaker since former Katikkiro Daniel Muliika's tenure. He is a long serving official and since the restoration of Kabakaship on July 31 1993, he has been representing Sembabule district in the Buganda Lukiiko.

Lutaaya Mukomazi is the new minister of agriculture. He is challenged with restoring the agricultural sector the Kabaka 's programme of planting trees.

Kaddu Kiberu is the minister for water, power and natural resources. He is also the managing director of Peacock Paints and serves on several boards, including that of Uganda Manufacturer's Association.

A.B.K Ntaate was retained as the kingdom's treasurer. He has served on several commissions in Buganda including the commission set up in May 2002 to check the alleged financial impropriety in Mengo and another on registering and documenting Kabaka 's land.

Teopista Lubega is the State minister for Functions. She is charged with organising all the kingdom's functions.

Kabuuza Mukasa is the minister of state for royal travels. He was formerly the state minister for youth during Katikkiro Ssemwogerere's administration. He is among the youthful officials who have seen Mengo through good and bad.

Twaha Kaawaase is the minister for finance. He is a celebrated chartered accountant and one of the brains behind Sejjaaka and Kaawaase Certified Public Accounts. He is serving his second term. He is challenged with addressing the Kabaka's worries of lack of accountability and transparency within the Mengo administration. He is a brother to renowned educationist Abbas Kaawaase, former headteacher of Kibuli Muslim Secondary School.

Medad Lubega Ssegoona is among the new faces in the cabinet as information minister. Mr Ssegoona a former Makerere university law student is currently an advocate working with Lukwago and Company Advocates.

Hajj Muhammed Thoban is the minister for economic planning. He is a Ugandan of Asian origin and owns a chain of businesses in Kampala.

Nelson Apollo Makubuya is the new Attorney General and minister for constitutional affairs. He doubles as minister for royal treasury development. He was also on the Mengo team that negotiated with the central government for the kingdoms much cherished federal system of government.

Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi is state minister in charge of the youth .She has tried to unite youths in the Kingdom. She recently organised a residential training that was aimed at inculcating traditional norms in young girls in Buganda. She organises trips for youths to visit their clan elder's ancestral sites. She was the brain behind the initiation of the annual graduation festival, which brings fresh and old graduates from different counties together.

Ben Lubega is the state minister for agriculture. Mr Lubega has played a key role in ensuring that the kingdom's norm of promoting food safety is upheld.

Apolonia Lugombya is the minister in charge of gender and community development. She is listed among the country's women activists and is a part time employee of the Catholic Secretariat.

Florence Bagunywa Nkalubo is the minister for Youth. In 2006 she contested the Rubaga North constituency and lost to Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Beti Olive Kamya Nkalubo is also daughter of Mzee Arthur Bagungwa. She is a former employee of Kampala City Council.

Hajj Omar Mandela is the state minister in charge of treasury. Mr Mandela is an outstanding businessman and is the man behind City Tyres. He also owns a chain of petrol stations in Kampala. He is a soccer lover and an ardent supporter of SC Villa.

Herbert Ssemakula is the junior minister in charge of sports. He has tried to promote sports in the kingdom through organising different Buganda tournaments including the Bika and Masaza tournaments. He recently initiated the Buganda Boxing Federation aimed at promoting the boxing sport. He is the assistant Public Relations Officer for KCC and at the same time sitting on the council's football club advisory board.

Hajj Ahmed Bamweyana is the minister for foreign affairs. He has now to prove his competence by widening the kingdom's external relations at this time when the kingdom is striving to lobby investors to exploit the kingdom's untapped resources.

Edward Katimbo is the minister for land and public buildings. He also serves as executive director in charge of the Bank of Uganda's supervision functions.

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