Barbara Nekesa Oundo

Barbara Nekesa Oundo is a Ugandan politician and diplomat, who serves as Uganda's High Commissioner to South Africa, based in Pretoria.[1] In that capacity, she also represents her country, to the nations of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.[2]

Barbara Nekesa Oundo
Born
Barbara Nekesa

(1984-06-06) June 6, 1984
Busia, Uganda
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUganda
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Human Resource Management)
OccupationDiplomat and Politician
Years active2011 — present
TitleUganda's High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa
Spouse(s)
    Charles Mukanga Oundo
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2007; div. 2017)​
      Sulaiman Lumolo Mafabi
      ​
      ​
      (m. 2018)​

      She previously served as the state minister for Karamoja affairs in the Cabinet of Uganda. She was appointed to that position on 27 May 2011.[3] She replaced Janet Museveni, who was appointed minister for Karamoja affairs. Oundo has also served as the elected member of Parliament for Busia District women's representative in the 9th parliament (2011 to 2016).[4]

      Background and education

      She was born in Busia District in the Eastern Region on 6 June 1984 to Mary Hadudu, mother to nine other girls, and Edward Wabudi, a local councillor.[4] She attended the Bubulo Girls School in Mbale for her middle school education (O-Level) and Mbogo High School in Kawempe for her high school studies (A-Level).[5] In 2009, she graduated from Makerere University in Uganda with a Bachelor of Human Resources Management degree.[4]

      Career and family

      Since 2007, she was married to Charles Oundo, a foreign service officer, whom she met while an undergraduate at Makerere University. They are the parents of two sons. In 2011, she successfully ran on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) political party ticket for the parliamentary Busia district women's constituency seat. In May 2011, she was appointed state minister for Karamoja affairs, reporting directly to Janet Museveni, Uganda's first lady and, at the time, minister for Karamoja affairs.[4]

      In 2017, she divorced her first husband, Charles Oundo. In December 2018, she was married to Hajji Suleiman Lumolo Mafabi, a businessman, based in Mbale, in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The private ceremony took place at their home in Muyenga, an upscale neighborhood in Kampala, Uganda's capital city.[6][7]

      Loss of political positions

      In November 2015 during the NRM primaries, incumbent Oundo received 28,750 votes while her closest challenger, Nina Irene Nekesa Wandera, received 25,443 votes. Wandera then petitioned the party's electoral commission with alleged evidence of electoral malpractice by Oundo.[8]

      During the 2016 parliamentary elections, Oundo lost to incumbent Jane Nabulindo Kwoba, who ran as an independent.[9][10] In the cabinet list released by the Office of the President on 6 June 2016, Oundo was not included.[11]

      References
      1. Bwire, Job (27 January 2017). "Museveni appoints Dr Kiyonga Uganda's ambassador to Beijing". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
      2. Barbara Nekesa Oundo (High Commissioner) (2017). "Welcome to the Website of Uganda High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa". Pretoria: Uganda High Commission to South Africa. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
      3. Mukasa, Henry (28 May 2011). "Museveni Names New Cabinet". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
      4. Musisi, Frederic (6 July 2013). "Barbara Nekesa Oundo: Enter Into the 29-year-old Minister's World". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
      5. Mwesigye, Shifa (20 July 2011). "Young, bubbly Oundo tells of rise to cabinet". The Observer (Uganda). Kampala. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
      6. Esther Nantambi, and Philip Wafula (24 December 2018). "Why Barbara Nekesa left Charles Oundo to marry NRM tycoon, Suleiman Lumolo". Kampala: My Wedding Uganda. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
      7. Joshua Walakira (17 December 2018). "After Years of Cohabiting NRM Boss Lumolo Finally Weds Uganda's Ambassador To South Africa, Barbara Nekesa". Kampala: Mulengera News. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
      8. Kabuzire, Linda (7 November 2016). "Minister Barbra Oundo Accused of Gross Election Malpractice". Kampala: Chimpreports.com. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
      9. Tushabe, Nasa (19 February 2016). "Winners and Losers of Uganda Member of Parliament (MPs) elections: Parliament winners, Uganda Decides 2016". Kampala: Ugblizz.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
      10. Walusimbi, Deo (24 February 2016). "Uganda: Top MP Election Losers Speak Out". The Observer (Uganda) via AllAfrica.com. Kampala.
      11. Wesonga, Nelson (8 June 2016). "New Cabinet: Dropped ministers speak out: Barbara Nekesa Oundo: State for Karamoja Affairs". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
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