President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has today made two significant appointments in the economy. He has appointed Dr. Michael Atingi-Ego as Bank of Uganda’s Deputy Governor, replacing Dr. Louis Kasekende whose contract expired on January 14th, 2020.
He has also appointed, John Musinguzi Rujoki, his former Senior Presidential Advisor on ICT and Investment, as the new Commissioner General for Uganda Revenue Authority, replacing Doris Akol.
It is however not clear why Doris Akol has been replaced since she had just started her second four-year term as the tax authority’s Commissioner-General.
“By virtue of powers granted to me by the Constitution, I have appointed Mr. John Musinguzi Rujoki as the new Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority. This appointment takes immediate effect,” the president announced on this official twitter handle.
“I have also appointed Dr. Michael Atingi-Ego as the new Deputy Governor, Bank of Uganda. I have forwarded his name to Parliament for vetting,” he tweeted.
The appointment of Atingi-Ego, a Bank of Uganda Veteran, ends speculation about Dr. Kasekende’s reappointment as Deputy Governor and fills the vacuum in that office. Only this Friday the Central Bank Board of Directors, appointed Dr. Adam Mugume to fulfill the duties of the Office of Deputy Governor amidst reports that the Governor, Prof. Tumusiime Mutebile was unwell and was hospitalised.
Prior to his appointment, Dr. Atingi-Ego has been the Executive Director of the Macroeconomic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI)- a regionally owned institute currently with 14 member countries. The countries are Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Bob Okodi, Amref Health Africa Uganda CFO, On Purpose-Driven Finance and Measuring Impact in Lives, Not MarginsHe has occupied the office since 2018.
He is a seasoned economic policy analyst who started his career at the Bank of Uganda rising through the ranks to become the Executive Director, Research. In 2008 he took up an assignment with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as Deputy Director of the African Department (AFR) from whence he joined MEFMI.
He obtained his first degree from Makerere University and later proceeded for postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom where he got a master’s degree from the Cardiff Business School, University of Wales and a Ph.D. from Liverpool University.
John Musinguzi Rujoki, on the other hand, is a former Senior Presidential Advisor on ICT and Investment Matters and is no stranger to revenue collection- he was the former head of the finance and audit department in the Special Revenue Protection Services- a military unit attached to Uganda Revenue Authority. The operations of SRPS have in the last 5 years been unclear.
Mr. Musinguzi who has also been the board chair of the National Information Technology Authority (NITA) holds a Master’s degree in Computing and Information systems of the University of Greenwich and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics of Makerere University.
