The movers, shakers of 2011 were...

By Nickson Turyahikayo

Justice Julia Sebutinde
She was the first Ugandan judge to be elected to the International Court of Justice. Justice Sebutinde has been a judge at the Hague-based UN Special Court for Sierra Leone, trying former Liberian President Charles Taylor. She beat off spirited competition from Sierra Leonean Judge Abdul Koroma to get the ICJ slot after obtaining 97 votes in the UN General Assembly compared to Koroma’s 83. The 15-member Security Council gave her nine votes and six to the Sierra Leonean, who already served at the World Court for 18 years.

Flavia Namakula
She won the Uganda Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship by five strokes with an aggregate of 223 after 54 holes. And she was November 2011 Nile Special-USPA sports personality of the month award.

Sharon Nalukenge aka Sharon O
The singer in Obsessions singing and dancing group, who represented Uganda at the Big Brother reality show was the first Ugandan woman to be among the finalists.

Annet Negesa
She won a gold medal at the All Africa Games in 800 meters in Maputo, Mozambique at the Zimpeto National stadium.

Keko 
The X- FM presenter won five awards.  They include Channel O best Most Gifted East African Video, most promising artiste award at the East African Music Awards, Best Hip Hop single at the PAM Awards, Hip Hop Diva of the Year and a Young Achiever Of The Year Award in music.

Crystal Newman
She is a radio presenter and a mother of two, who won the Mrs Uganda title and she is to present Uganda in Mrs. World.

Rebecca Kadaga
She was voted the speaker of the 9th Ugandan Parliament and is the first woman to take up the post.

 Iryn Namubiru
The artiste has won the over seven awards. They include Afro-Beat Diva award, R&B Diva award and Super Diva 2011, the best artiste, RnB, Album of the year, Female artiste of the Year, Best Artiste of the year, all at the PAM Awards.

Margaret Kemigisa
The 31-year-old won Vision Group’s inaugural Pakasa youth awards. She started a craft making project in Kabarole district with sh20,000, but today she employs 258 women and has a monthly turn-over of sh30m.

Sylvia Namutebi
She won the Miss Uganda beauty contest and also represented Uganda at the Miss World pageant.




Ronaritah Ninsiima
The former freelance journalist at Radio West beat former minister for Agriculture Hope Mwesigye to the Kabale woman parliamentary seat. Ninsiima did not have the funds to run her campaign, so she resorted to asking the electorate to support her. This strategy worked and she ended up defeating Mwesigye, who is the chairperson for NRM Kabale district. Ninsiima first contested against Mwesigye in NRM primary elections and she lost. She then went on to contest as an independent candidate in general elections.

Amelia Kyambadde
The President’s former private secretary, managed to uproot honourable Peter Mutuluza from his seat as a Member of Parliament for Mawokota County on her first attempt at politics. She was also appointed as a minister for trade and industry.

Jennifer Musisi
The lawyer by profession was chosen by the President to be the Chief Executive Officer of the newly-created Kampala City Council Authority. During her first six months, she has led several campaigns such as Kampala Kibuga Kyange, (Kampala My City), which based on the people’s will to keep Kampala clean. She managed to evict hawkers from the streets, repaired some pot-holed roads, among her achievements.


Susan Muwonge
The primary school teacher was the first female rally driver to win the national motor rally championship.

Maria Kiwanuka
The prolific entrepreneur with various investments, such as Radio One, Akaboozi ku Bbiri and Maria’s Galleria, to her name, was appointed the minster for finance and economic planning and yet she is not a Member of Parliament.