President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said he is shocked at the death of former Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and Secretary to the Treasury (PS/PSST).
“I am shocked to hear the death of PS. Keith Muhakanizi. I was aware of his illness but it was being managed. He came to see me before this round of treatment. it is sad that he didn’t make it. I spoke to his wife in Milan and she told me what happened. Condolences to her, the family and the people of Uganda.
May his soul rest in eternal peace,” President Museveni tweeted, this mid-morning.
Muhakanizi (64) who until his death was the Permanent Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister, passed away, last night in Milan, Italy where he had been flown for treatment.
According to reliable sources, he has been battling cancer for a long time.
Several people- many of them his friends and former colleagues in government have taken to social media to eulogise the Keith Muhakanizi they knew.
“Keith is not any other brother or friend to me. He is part of me. His demise goes away with a big portion of what I am. Having known each other at Makerere in the early 80’s where he was a year ahead of me, we had discovered each other, through a mutual friend, late Yason Mpungye.
In the Ntungamo political turmoil of the Ruzindana Vrs. Kamwesiga, Karazaarwe Vrs. Kacooboye, Karazaarwe Vrs. Buriiku, Rukutana Vrs. Kazoora divides, when myself and my brothers Bob Kabonero, Jim and Susan Muhwezi, the First Family and the NRM as a party, were strenuous protagonists, it was Keith and my friend Sudhir who, one evening that went to the wee hours of the morning, sat me down, at Speke Hotel, over bottles of Red Label mixed with hot water, to convince me to reconcile with my said brothers and fully join the NRM.
As fate would have it, when the reconciliation catapulted me into mainstream politics, I was to find myself in the Ministry of Finance as a Minister of State, where Keith was a senior official as Director Budget. Nothing cemented our brotherhood more than his intellectualism, outspokenness, firmnesses in thought and deed, and a crude sense of humor. Most people, including me at first, thought Keith was an arrogant, defiant man because of these qualities. Once he thought he was right, he could dare anyone,” wrote Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana who worked with him at the Ministry of Finance.
“In my thirty years of political life, Keith is the only Government official I ever saw, so many times, telling the President to his face; “Your Excellency, we cannot do that”! Or even interrupting him mid-speech!!” Yet, in Keith laid a humble, obedient, listening and advisable civil servant,” reminisces Rukutana, adding: “God makes His decisions. They are not appealable. He has his reasons. All we have to do is to obey and respect Him. Keith, Rest in Peace my Brother, Friend, Mentor and Inspiration”.
Robert Kabushenga, the former Vision Group CEO, tweeted: “Rest in Peace, Keith Muhakanizi!! I am forever grateful for our friendship & for your generosity over the years. Till we meet again”.
Prof. Maggie Kigozi, the billionaire businesswoman and former Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) Executive director, deceived him as a legend.
“Another sad day when a legend rests. Rest in peace Keith Muhakanizi. He did his part growing Uganda’s economy,” she posted on Twitter, adding: “Our hero on managing the economy of Uganda! Rest in Peace #KeithMuhakanizi You will be missed”.
Alice Kaboyo, the Minister of State for Luwero-Rwenzori Triangle in the Office of the Prime Minister said Mr. Muhakanizi was “a diligent Public Servant who served the nation in different capacities”.
“At the Office of the Prime Minister, we shall miss his wealth of wisdom, guidance and technical leadership.May his Soul Rest in Peace,” Kaboyo wrote on Twitter.
Rt. Hon Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament tweeted: “Very sad to learn that Mr. Keith Muhakanizi has passed on. We have lost a great economist who oversaw the growth of our economy into one that is stable and resilient. My condolences to you Janet, the children and wider family. Rest in peace Sir”.
Jim Muhwezi, the Security Minister, also tweeted: “Sad! What a loss! Rest in Peace, My friend, Keith”.
In July 2021, Muhakanizi was reshuffled to the Office of the Prime Minister as PS and replaced by the current PS/PSST Mr.Ramathan Ggoobi.
Tweeting, this Morning, Dr. Ramathan Ggoobi who replaced Muhakanixi as Finance Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSS) commiserated with the family and friends of Mr. Muhakanizi.
“I have just learnt about the passing of my predecessor, my senior, Mr Keith Muhakanizi. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and close friends. The Ministry shall issue an official communication in the due course. May the soul of Mr Muhakanizi rest in eternal peace,” Ggoobi tweeted.