Poland honours Minister Kamuntu for fostering relations

Poland has honoured Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, Uganda’s Minister of Internal Affairs, with the Golden Cross of Merit in recognition of his contribution to strengthening relations between the two countries.

The award was conferred upon Kamuntu by Poland’s President, Karol Nawrocki, in recognition of Kamuntu’s service as the country’s honorary consul in Kampala since 1995.

Marcin Kubiak, Poland’s Ambassador to Kenya, who is also in charge of Uganda, announced the honour during the launch of a European Union (EU)-funded twinning project between Uganda’s Office of the Auditor General and Poland’s Supreme Audit Office at Fairway Hotel in Kampala on Wednesday, October 14.

Kubiak said the award recognised Kamuntu’s outstanding consular service, promotion of Polish economic interests in Uganda, and his support for the Polish community.

It also recognised his initiatives in supporting development projects financed by Poland, including personally leading aid initiatives under the Polish aid programme.

“Your level of engagement is exceptional. You have set the standard for what it means to be an honorary consul of the Republic of Poland,” Kubiak said.

He added that Kamuntu has consistently assisted Polish tourists visiting Uganda and contributed to strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Kubiak attributed Kamuntu’s achievements to his experience in Uganda’s public administration and personal commitment to advancing relations between the two nations.

On his part, Kamuntu said he was pleasantly surprised by the recognition, describing it as an honour for the contribution he has made towards strengthening bilateral relations between Uganda and Poland.

He said the recognition had encouraged him to do more to promote the development and transformation of the two countries.

“I am so pleased that this contribution has been recognised at the highest level, and it has encouraged me to do more for the betterment and transformation of our two peoples,” he said.

Kamuntu thanked the Polish government for the honour and expressed confidence that the cooperation between the two countries would continue to grow.

He also commended Kubiak for his engagement, saying the ambassador’s presence and support gave him confidence in the prospects for stronger bilateral relations.

“I’m confident that with you (Kubiak) as ambassador of Poland in Nairobi, I find it very encouraging and I am sure we are going to do much better,” Kamuntu said.

The recognition came as Uganda and Poland continued to deepen cooperation through institutional partnerships, including the EU-funded twinning project aimed at strengthening the capacity of Uganda’s Office of the Auditor General.

The project focuses on improving information technology audits, strengthening oversight of the energy and extractives sectors, and developing professional capacity among public auditors.