Onyango Kakoba scoops big regional job

 PIC: Onyango Kakoba

The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Buikwe North Onyango Kakoba has been appointed the new Secretary General (SG) of the Forum of Parliaments of Member States of the International Conference of Great Lakes Region ( FP-ICGLR) based in Kinshasa, DRC, effective next month (April).

Kakoba told New Vision on Tuesday that he was unanimously selected for a three-year term by the Speakers' Conference of the 12 member states that took place in Kinshasa, March 19-20.

The member states are Angola, Central African Republic (CAR), Congo Brazaville, DRC, Zambia, Sudan, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda.

He said the SG position is a full-time diplomatic/techinical assignment with a minimum academic requirement of a masters degree.

"I am delighted to be given this opportunity to serve the region in that capacity. I wish to thank the President, the speaker and deputy speaker of Parliament for the support given to me as Uganda's candidate," Kakoba said.

As the SG, Onyango will head the organisation as CEO/Ambassador since its headquarters in Kinshasa operate at the status of a diplomatic mission.

New Vision learnt that unlike other parliamentary fora, FP-ICGLR was an initiative of Heads of States. "Due to Peace & Security challenges in the region, the Heads of States in 2006 created a regional organisation, ICGLR based in Bujumbura to tackle the issues," Onyango said.

He added that the treaty that established the ICGLR provided for the establishment of a parliamentary forum as an organ to play an oversight role over the implementation of ICGLR projects.
FP-ICGLR was created in 2008.

Kakoba replaces Prosper Higiro, a former Deputy Speaker, Minister, Presidential candidate & MP at the Pan African Parliament (PAP)
from Rwanda who has been at the helm of the organisation since 2012 as the first SG.

Kakoba is also currently Board chairperson of the African Parliamentary Alliance for UN Reforms (APAUNR), an international organisation spearheading parliamentary advocacy for UN reforms in favour of Africa.

While in Parliament for 15 years, Kakoba was also an MP at Pan Africa Parliament and Uganda's representative on the Executive Committee of FP-ICGLR.

He holds a masters degree in International Relations and Diplomatic Studies ad well as a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences, both of Makerere University.