John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, SC (simply known as Amama Mbabazi, born 16 January 1949) is a Ugandan politician who served as the ninth Prime Minister of Uganda from 24 May 2011 to 19 September 2014. He played an instrumental role in Uganda's protracted liberation struggle from several tyrannical governments (1972-1986) and is a founding member of the National Resistance Movement, the ruling political party in Uganda.[1]

The Minister of Security, Uganda, Mr. Amama Mbabazi meeting with the Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Anand Sharma, in New Delhi on August 28, 2007
HE Jessica Alupo Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo Rt Hon Amama Mbabazi and other dignitaries pause for a group photo after Red Mass and the launch of CLASI activities at St Augustine Institute Nsambya.

Amama Mbabazi
9th Prime Minister of Uganda
In office
24 May 2011 – 18 September 2014
PresidentYoweri Museveni
DeputyEriya Kategaya
Preceded byApolo Nsibambi
Succeeded byRuhakana Rugunda
Minister for Security
In office
24 February 2009 – 24 May 2011
Prime MinisterApolo Nsibambi
Preceded byKabakumba Masiko
Succeeded byWilson Muruuli Mukasa
Attorney General of Uganda
In office
1 May 2004 – 9 March 2006
Prime MinisterApolo Nsibambi
Preceded byFrancis Ayume
Succeeded byKiddu Makubuya
Member of Parliament
from Kanungu District
In office
11 February 2003 – 18 February 2016
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byJames Ruugi Kaberuka Niringiyimana
Personal details
Born
Patrick Amama Mbabazi

(1949-01-16) 16 January 1949 (age 75)
Mparo, Rukiga County, Uganda Protectorate
Political partyNational Resistance Movement
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Laws)
Law Development Centre
(Diploma in Legal Practice)

Mbabazi served as the member of parliament for the Kinkiizi West constituency in Kanungu District, a position held from 1996 until 2016, when he ran unsuccessfully for the Presidency.[2]

Early life and education

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He was born in Mparo Village, Rukiga County, in present-day Rukiga District, on 16 January 1949.[1] He attended two of the most prominent educational institutions in Uganda during both the colonial and post-colonial periods: Kigezi College Butobere for his high school education,[3] and Ntare School for his A-Levels. Mbabazi earned a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University.[1] He received a postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center in Kampala.[1] He is an Advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda and has been a member of the Uganda Law Society since 1977.[4]

Career

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Before entering politics, he worked as a state attorney in the Attorney General's Chambers from 1976 to 1978, rising to the position of secretary of the Uganda Law Council from 1977 to 1979.[1]

Between 1986 and 1992, he served as head of the External Security Organisation.[1]

He has also served[when?] as Minister of State in the President's Office, in charge of political affairs.[1]

He became[when?] secretary of the NRM caucus in the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Uganda Constitution.[1]

Between 1986 and 1992, he was Minister of State for Defence.[1] Subsequently, he served as Minister of State for Regional Cooperation from 1998 to 2001.[1] He was Attorney General and Minister of Justice from 2004 to 2006, a feat that earned him the moniker "Super Minister".[5] He was appointed Minister of Defence in 2006, a position he held until he was appointed Minister of Security.[6] He served as Minister of Security from February 2009[7] until May 2011, when he was appointed prime minister.

He was Secretary General of the NRM from November 2005 to January 2015.[8][9]

Presidential bid

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Mbabazi's childhood friend[10] Ruhakana Rugunda was appointed to replace Mbabazi as prime minister on 18 September 2014,[11] by President Yoweri Museveni. This move was seen by many as Museveni's way of punishing Mbabazi for his rumoured presidential run. On 15 June 2015, Mbabazi declared his intentions to run against Yoweri Museveni for the National Resistance Movement's nomination for president at the party's convention on 4 October 2015.[12] This declaration was followed by a response from President Museveni who dubbed it "bad conduct and premature".[13] On 31 July, after much disagreement between top-ranking party officials and Mbabazi himself, the former prime minister declared he would stand as an independent candidate.[14] His candidature is backed by The Democratic Alliance (TDA), a loose convergence of minor political parties working to win the position of presidency.

In the 2016 general election he received 1.39% of the vote, placing third.[15]

Diplomacy

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Mbabazi has represented Uganda in international fora, including the United Nations Security Council, where he argued for the international community to allow the Uganda People's Defense Force to pursue the Lord's Resistance Army fighters into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Musoke, Cyprian (24 May 2011). "Amama Mbabazi's road to Prime Minister". New Vision. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  2. ^ Daily Monitor (2011). "Members of the 9th Ugandan Parliament (2011 - 2016)" (PDF). Daily Monitor. Kampala, Uganda. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  3. ^ Ssekika, Edward (14 August 2011). "Mbabazi, Mutebile to revive former school". The Observer (Uganda). Kampala. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  4. ^ Uganda Parliament (2011). "Amama Mbabazi: Member of Parliament, Kinkiizi County West, Kanungu District". Parliament of Uganda. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  5. ^ "With or without NRM, I will run for presidency in 2016, Mbabazi says". Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  6. ^ Mukasa, Henry (2 June 2006). "Ministries allocated". New Vision. Archived from the original on 11 December 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  7. ^ New Vision, Archive (18 February 2009). "Full cabinet list". New Vision. Archived from the original on 13 February 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  8. ^ Ssengendo, Abdulkarim (31 December 2008). "Mbabazi launches campaign for NRM's Byarugaba in Isingiro". New Vision. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  9. ^ ""Court dismisses Mbabazi-NRM case", The Insider, 8 January 2015, accessed 15 July 2015". Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
  10. ^ "About me | Amama Mbabazi". amamambabazi.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Ruhakana Rugunda new Prime Minister" Archived 10 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, New Vision, 19 September 2014.
  12. ^ "Bored of the Big Man: Is the Ugandan president's 29-year rule coming to an end?". The Economist. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  13. ^ "Museveni responds to Mbabazi's aspirations". Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Mbabazi to stand as independent". Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  15. ^ "Presidential Elections, 2016" (PDF). Electoral Commission. 22 February 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  16. ^ Newvision, Archive (21 April 2006). "Who is at fault?". New Vision. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
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Political offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Uganda
2004–2006
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Defence
2006–2009
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Security
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Uganda
2011–2014
Succeeded by