Matek
Who is who on the CRC
By Mwanguhya Mpagi
September 28, 2003
Chairman
Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa
Prof. Ssempebwa is one of the biggest legal names in the country. His law firm, Ssempebwa, Katende & Company Advocates is one of the oldest in Kampala.
Politically, he is said to be a sympathiser of the Democratic Party but has been silent for a long time and avoids confrontational politics. Though said to be DP, Ssempebwa is believed to be an admirer and a supporter of President Yoweri Museveni. Ssempebwa has a strong personality, gets things done and can't be easily pushed about. He is very diplomatic.
Vice Chairman
Dr Joseph Byamugisha
Byamugisha has a strong personality and would want things done his way. A senior lawyer, his firm has represented both government and senior Movement personalities in some of the biggest legal battles recently. In 2001 he led a team of more than 100 lawyers to defend then president elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in an election petition filed by loser Col. Kizza Besigye. Museveni won by a narrow 3 -2 Supreme Court ruling. Later he also led the Shs 100 billion government defence in the constitutional case filed by DP's Paul Kawanga Semogerere against sections of the Political Organissation Bill - later Act) POA. He also led the defence team of Defence Minister Amama Mbabazi in petitions by James Musinguzi over the disputed Kinkizi West elections.
Members
Ms Nagujja Zam Zam Kasujja
A lawyer. She has no political history. She was picked from obscurity and made deputy director of Legal Affairs at the Movement Secretariat. Since then she has been doubling her work at the commission with vigorous defence of the Movement, mainly on FM radio talk shows and on TV. She is also believed to have been part of the legal team (working behind the scenes) to write the new NRM Organisation's constitution and other legal matters relating to transformation of the Movement into a formal political organisation. It is said that current Constitutional Affairs minister Hajat Janat Mukwaya sourced the job for her.
Mr Benedict Mutyaba
Mutyaba holds a master's of Law degree from University College London, his LLB is from Makerere University. A former MP, he campaigned on the Multiparty ticket to win the Makindye East Constituency in 1996. Critics said that Kampala Mayor John Sebaana Kizito 'donated' the constituency to him. But once in the house, he ignored the platform that took him to the house and opted for silence. (He says that he is standing on the political fence). On realising that he had lost ground among multipartists he is said to have quietly cut his loses and never offered himself for election in 2001, giving way to incumbent MP Michael Mabbike. Mutyaba was managing director of the defunct Uganda Airlines and is now proprietor of East African Airlines. He also lectured at Makerere University.
Mr Richard Todwong
Todwong has a Bachelor of Arts, Social Sciences from Makerere University. He was working with Uganda Revenue Authority at the time he was appointed a commissioner. During his university days, he contested for the guild presidency and lost but he was appointed speaker of the guild council. His loss, sources said, was a result of his failure to convince voters of his true political leaning. He says that he is politically neutral. At URA he was chairman of the staff consultative council (worker's union). He is a member of the Makerere University Convocation committee.
Mr Sam Owor
Highly trained and experienced as a Banker. He is a respected non-controversial professional. Politically he is said to be sympathetic to the Movement political thinking. Owor once served as acting Managing Director of the Uganda Commercial Bank Ltd (UCBL) before he was seconded to the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Prof. Asavia Wandira
An educationist, Prof. Wandira is apolitical. He served as Makerere University vice chancellor and was recently one of the names proposed for the top job at the Ivory Tower. He appears simple but has a strong personality and would not be bullied into taking any particular position.
Mr Ateker Ejalu
A political animal, Ejalu is a strong Movement supporter. He was a minister in the post Amin government and also served as minister under Museveni. A veteran journalist, Ejalu was editor of the government owned daily in the early '70s before fleeing into exile. He's also the outgone chairman of The New Vision's board of directors.
Prof. Faustine Byarugaba
An educationist, Byarugaba is a strong Movement sympathiser. He was until recently head of the department of Political Science at Makerere University.
Mr Justine Olwedo Okot
The British trained lawyer (studied at Dublin University) and administrator is a Movement sympathiser. He was a director of the defunct East African Airways, was managing director of Produce Marketing Board, and was one of the people who started Uganda Airlines after the collapse of the regional East African Airways, was a secretary to the Military Council and was a commissioner on the Justice Odoki Commission that drafted the 1995 constitution.
Mr Yusuf Kagumire
A legal professional
Prof. Ssemakula Kiwanuka (now minister for Luwero triangle), left the commission after only four months and was replaced by Mr Kyazze Lawrence
Ms Alegressia Akwi Ogojo
Hardly served her appointment on the commission, after securing a fat international job shortly after.
Ms Christine P. Kania (RIP).
Was killed in a car crash with her husband along Jinja high way. She had served for about a year at the commission.
Ms Nalule Safia and Ms Phiona Egunyu were brought on the commission to replace commissioners Ogojo and Kania.
� 2003 The Monitor Publications
