The women in the VP’s inner circle
There is a great line in the 1933 film Am no angel attributed to Mae West that makes a lot of sense. It is not the men in my life that count – it is the life in my men.
By Nabusayi L. Wamboka
There is a great line in the 1933 film Am no angel attributed to Mae West that makes a lot of sense. It is not the men in my life that count – it is the life in my men.
This is about the men in this country who will always stand out to be counted, despite all their shortcomings which only make them more human.
Prof Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya’s great zeal to rid Ugandans of poverty and his love for his party – the NRM and his country have hardened him. Born out of a humble beginning, he has excelled academically and politically.
His achievements as a leader overshadow whatever weakness he has. That is why President Yoweri Museveni appointed him Vice-President for a second term with the Parliament overwhelmingly endorsing him with 210 votes in his favour, two against and nine abstaining.
Like the saying goes, it is idle to swallow the cow and choke on the tail, Bukenya’s biggest hurdle is over. What is left is for him to strengthen that which the president and the NRM party are so keen to remove – poverty.
“I want to fight poverty because I know what it means. My mother had to brew waragi (a local potent gin) to enable me go to school. It is possible for families to engage in income-generating activities to get out of such demeaning poverty,†he says.
Yes, his mother! One of the women who is probably his strongest pillar in life and closest friend.
Francisca Nabulo is uneducated, but blessed with great intellect. A rural lady, whose ambition was to make noble citizens out of her children, she did everything possible to achieve this dream and it paid off. While Nabulo has chosen to live a quiet life in her humble home, she was constantly monitoring her son’s political road, occasionally coming out to support his campaign and pray with him for the Busiro North Parliament slot that he swept with ease.
While Prof. Bukenya has powerful men around him who shape his public work and appearances, his inner circle is equally made up of powerful, yet ordinary women who go about their work behind the scenes with a lot of calculated measure.
His wife, Dr Margaret Bukenya, a reserved professional doctor, spends most of her time in the rural villages in Wakiso district doing medical work with Africa Medical Relief Frontiers. She has avoided the limelight and all media attention.
For Dr Margaret Bukenya, politics is not her thing, but she is married to one of the most powerful politicians, making her one of his closest political advisors. Dr Bukenya decided to do what she does best, fight malaria in her husband’s constituency. She has been associated with several NGOs in Wakiso district which are engaged in the fight against malaria and has presented a number of workable solutions for mothers who are caretakers of most rural families.
Margaret has been behind her husband’s ambition to build health centres at almost each parish in his constituency to help pregnant women fight malaria and ensure trouble-free deliveries. She would hit the campaign trail with the professor, preaching the NRM gospel and standing by him.
There is another Bukenya, born to the renown medics. Georgina Nabukenya Bukenya is daddy’s little girl, code-named Black Mamba by some, because of being protective of her family and siblings.
Full of life and fun, Nabukenya has been swallowed up by the rest of the ordinary young crowd and hardly shows off as a daughter of a Vice-President.
While Nabukenya hardly attended any of her father’s campaign trails, she was always a host of several delegations to her father’s home in Kakiri. She constantly pulled her parents back from their busy schedules with surprise birthday parties and relaxing family quality time.
Politically, the women who did the real ground work (kakuyege) for the good old professor and indeed for President Museveni and the NRM party in Busiro North include the no-nonsense chief political agent, Joyce Turyahikayo.
Turyahikayo traversed Busiro North constituency with the skill of a leopard, smelling what is cooking and making the kill each time an opportunity arose. People had trouble pronouncing her name and instead called her Turyakikajjo (we are chewing sugarcane).
She knew the bumpy spots, advised Professor on what to expect and was responsible for ensuring all the local people who attended Bukenya’s campaigns enjoyed the Upland rice and bulls for lunch.
“He is our member of Parliament and has invested both money and energy in his constituency. He deserved to win, his party deserved to win and most of all Museveni deserved to win,†she says.
If you have attended Prof Bukenya’s campaigns in Busiro North, you must have seen a big woman with a Kisanja on her head and a whistle in her mouth. Lillian Kamba is not just a whistle blower but a poet. She spices up Bukenya’s public outings with a number of well-composed short songs, recitations and totems from the different cultures of the country.
Terry Nantongo Kajoba, the petite, no nonsense but articulate legal advisor to Prof Bukenya was biting into the more legalistic battles.
Very candid in her work, Nantongo is a witty, smart lawyer who has had her fair share of challenging experiences working as the Vice-President’s legal advisor.
“He is frank, patient and listens. I have learnt more from him as an administrator and leader and that makes my work easy,†Kajoba says.
Another woman who takes care of Bukenya’s business is protocol officer Aisha Kalule. Kalule deputises the head of protocol Joshua Mutabazi and has brought a feminine touch to a rigorous schedule of the vice-presidency. Known for her coolness and smartness, Kalule sometimes makes desperate situations look very ordinary.
“I am so touched by his method of work, seeing and attending to everyone regardless of position. That must be the major reason for his continuing popularity in Busiro North,†says Kalule. Prof Bukenya is keen to deliver on the campaign promises of eradicating poverty and implementing the NRM ambitious ‘Prosperity for All’ manifesto, especially in central Buganda.
Following his victory in the last elections, Prof. Bukenya set up a team led by Jamilla Naku to coordinate the transformation process in the NRM central office. Naku, who is also personal assistant for literally affairs in the Vice-President’s office is charged with ensuring that practical poverty eradication initiatives for the rural poor are initiated and implemented.
As he starts the new term as the first Vice-President under a multi-party system of government after over 20 years, Prof Bukenya will find a clean file and a warm cup of tea to start of his tenure, thanks to two ladies Juliet Kitunzi and Teereza Nassozi who keep this office running.
The writer is press secretary to the Vice-President
lindawom@statehouse.go.ug
There is a great line in the 1933 film Am no angel attributed to Mae West that makes a lot of sense. It is not the men in my life that count – it is the life in my men.
This is about the men in this country who will always stand out to be counted, despite all their shortcomings which only make them more human.
Prof Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya’s great zeal to rid Ugandans of poverty and his love for his party – the NRM and his country have hardened him. Born out of a humble beginning, he has excelled academically and politically.
His achievements as a leader overshadow whatever weakness he has. That is why President Yoweri Museveni appointed him Vice-President for a second term with the Parliament overwhelmingly endorsing him with 210 votes in his favour, two against and nine abstaining.
Like the saying goes, it is idle to swallow the cow and choke on the tail, Bukenya’s biggest hurdle is over. What is left is for him to strengthen that which the president and the NRM party are so keen to remove – poverty.
“I want to fight poverty because I know what it means. My mother had to brew waragi (a local potent gin) to enable me go to school. It is possible for families to engage in income-generating activities to get out of such demeaning poverty,†he says.
Yes, his mother! One of the women who is probably his strongest pillar in life and closest friend.
Francisca Nabulo is uneducated, but blessed with great intellect. A rural lady, whose ambition was to make noble citizens out of her children, she did everything possible to achieve this dream and it paid off. While Nabulo has chosen to live a quiet life in her humble home, she was constantly monitoring her son’s political road, occasionally coming out to support his campaign and pray with him for the Busiro North Parliament slot that he swept with ease.
While Prof. Bukenya has powerful men around him who shape his public work and appearances, his inner circle is equally made up of powerful, yet ordinary women who go about their work behind the scenes with a lot of calculated measure.
His wife, Dr Margaret Bukenya, a reserved professional doctor, spends most of her time in the rural villages in Wakiso district doing medical work with Africa Medical Relief Frontiers. She has avoided the limelight and all media attention.
For Dr Margaret Bukenya, politics is not her thing, but she is married to one of the most powerful politicians, making her one of his closest political advisors. Dr Bukenya decided to do what she does best, fight malaria in her husband’s constituency. She has been associated with several NGOs in Wakiso district which are engaged in the fight against malaria and has presented a number of workable solutions for mothers who are caretakers of most rural families.
Margaret has been behind her husband’s ambition to build health centres at almost each parish in his constituency to help pregnant women fight malaria and ensure trouble-free deliveries. She would hit the campaign trail with the professor, preaching the NRM gospel and standing by him.
There is another Bukenya, born to the renown medics. Georgina Nabukenya Bukenya is daddy’s little girl, code-named Black Mamba by some, because of being protective of her family and siblings.
Full of life and fun, Nabukenya has been swallowed up by the rest of the ordinary young crowd and hardly shows off as a daughter of a Vice-President.
While Nabukenya hardly attended any of her father’s campaign trails, she was always a host of several delegations to her father’s home in Kakiri. She constantly pulled her parents back from their busy schedules with surprise birthday parties and relaxing family quality time.
Politically, the women who did the real ground work (kakuyege) for the good old professor and indeed for President Museveni and the NRM party in Busiro North include the no-nonsense chief political agent, Joyce Turyahikayo.
Turyahikayo traversed Busiro North constituency with the skill of a leopard, smelling what is cooking and making the kill each time an opportunity arose. People had trouble pronouncing her name and instead called her Turyakikajjo (we are chewing sugarcane).
She knew the bumpy spots, advised Professor on what to expect and was responsible for ensuring all the local people who attended Bukenya’s campaigns enjoyed the Upland rice and bulls for lunch.
“He is our member of Parliament and has invested both money and energy in his constituency. He deserved to win, his party deserved to win and most of all Museveni deserved to win,†she says.
If you have attended Prof Bukenya’s campaigns in Busiro North, you must have seen a big woman with a Kisanja on her head and a whistle in her mouth. Lillian Kamba is not just a whistle blower but a poet. She spices up Bukenya’s public outings with a number of well-composed short songs, recitations and totems from the different cultures of the country.
Terry Nantongo Kajoba, the petite, no nonsense but articulate legal advisor to Prof Bukenya was biting into the more legalistic battles.
Very candid in her work, Nantongo is a witty, smart lawyer who has had her fair share of challenging experiences working as the Vice-President’s legal advisor.
“He is frank, patient and listens. I have learnt more from him as an administrator and leader and that makes my work easy,†Kajoba says.
Another woman who takes care of Bukenya’s business is protocol officer Aisha Kalule. Kalule deputises the head of protocol Joshua Mutabazi and has brought a feminine touch to a rigorous schedule of the vice-presidency. Known for her coolness and smartness, Kalule sometimes makes desperate situations look very ordinary.
“I am so touched by his method of work, seeing and attending to everyone regardless of position. That must be the major reason for his continuing popularity in Busiro North,†says Kalule. Prof Bukenya is keen to deliver on the campaign promises of eradicating poverty and implementing the NRM ambitious ‘Prosperity for All’ manifesto, especially in central Buganda.
Following his victory in the last elections, Prof. Bukenya set up a team led by Jamilla Naku to coordinate the transformation process in the NRM central office. Naku, who is also personal assistant for literally affairs in the Vice-President’s office is charged with ensuring that practical poverty eradication initiatives for the rural poor are initiated and implemented.
As he starts the new term as the first Vice-President under a multi-party system of government after over 20 years, Prof Bukenya will find a clean file and a warm cup of tea to start of his tenure, thanks to two ladies Juliet Kitunzi and Teereza Nassozi who keep this office running.
The writer is press secretary to the Vice-President
lindawom@statehouse.go.ug