By Andrew Irumba
ICT and National guidance minister Frank Kagyigyi Tumwebaze was Tuesday among the 13,299 students that were conferred upon with degrees in various disciplines at Makerere University’s 69th graduation ceremony, which was presided over by Uganda’s President H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Tumwebaze, who got a master’s degree in Public Health, said he did the degree in the human interest, in order to design sound interventions/policies anchored on the basis of evidence and more so research evidence to benefit the same. He said he would use the newly acquired knowledge to help him offer research based health solutions more especially in the area of research.
“Glad to have completed this Master’s degree in Public health. The pursuit for knowledge should be a continuous process so as to improve the quality of one’s understanding and shape his/her world view. I pursued this course to particularly help myself understand the whole spectrum of the social determinants of health and what factors explain the disease burden in our communities.
The heavy disease burden in our communities is not only explained by clinical factors but by a range of social-economic and political factors that policy makers need to be aware of and therefore, design sound interventions/policies anchored on the basis of evidence and more so research evidence.
When policy interventions are informed by research evidence, they tend to be more effective. That is why my research dissertation was on: “Exploring the Utilisation of research evidence in health policy formulation processes”: A case for the medicines policy of 2015.
I thank God, my family, my lecturers at School of Public health and fellow students for the support,” said Frank while receiving his degree on Tuesday.
The Academic Registrar, Alfred Masikye told journalists that the ceremony which started on Tuesday till Friday 18th Jan.2019 would see a total of 13, 299 students graduate in different disciplines ranging from diplomas, degrees and PhDs respectively.
A total of 368 students will graduate with First Class degrees.
But Who Is Frank Tumwebaze?
Frank Kagyigyi Tumwebaze is a Ugandan Educator and politician. He is the current Cabinet Minister of Information Technology & Communications in the Cabinet of Uganda.
He was appointed to that position on 6 June 2016. He previously served as Minister for the Presidency and Minister for Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) between 2012 and 2016.
He is also the elected Member of Parliament for Kibale County in Kamwenge District on the National Resistance Movement political party ticket.
Frank was born in Kamwenge District on 1 December 1975 to Matayo Kagyigyi and Beatrice Kagyigyi. He is the fifth-born in a family of seven children.
He attended Jinja College for his A-Level Education. He received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1999, from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). He also holds a Master’s degree in International and Diplomatic Studies, obtained in 2005 from Makerere University, the oldest university in Uganda.
Between 2000 and 2001, Tumwebaze served as a customs officer with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
In 2001, he was appointed deputy resident district commissioner (D/RDC) and was posted to Iganga District. He served in that capacity until 2003 when he was then brought into State House as a special presidential assistant for research and information from 2003 until 2005.
In 2006, he entered elective politics by contesting the parliamentary constituency of Kibale County in Kamwenge District. He was elected on the National Resistance Movement political party ticket. In 2011, he was re-elected.
In a cabinet reshuffle on 15 August 2012, Tumwebaze was appointed minister for the presidency replacing Hon.Kabakumba Masiko, who resigned from government on 14 December 2011 following allegations of “abuse of office”, “theft by taking”, “causing monetary loss to the government” and “conspiracy to defraud government”.
In June 2016, he was named cabinet minister of ICT.
Frank Kagyigyi Tumwebaze is a married father of five children. He is of the Anglican faith.
In our subsequent stories we’re going to bring to you full blow by blow on how self made Frank Tumwebaze beat all odds to rise through the ranks. Watch the space……..
