Grace Mary Mugasa (née Mugisa; born 28 December 1968) is a Ugandan politician who currently serves as the State Minister for Public Service.[1] She was appointed on 8 June 2021, by the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, assuming office on 21 June 2021.[2][3] Grace Mary took office from David Karubanga, the former State Minister and Member of Parliament representing Kigorobya.[4] Prior to her appointment, she was the first female Mayor of Hoima Municipality[5][6][7][8][9][10] and saw it through its transition to City status in July 2020.[11]
Grace Mary Mugasa (Mrs) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of State for Public Service Uganda | |
| Assumed office 21 June 2021 | |
| President | Yoweri Museveni |
| Prime Minister | Robinah Nabbanja |
| Preceded by | David Karubanga |
| Mayor of Hoima | |
| In office 19 May 2011 – 24 May 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Francis Atugonza |
| Succeeded by | Brian Kaboyo |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 December 1968 Hoima, Uganda |
| Citizenship | Uganda |
| Political party | National Resistance Movement |
| Spouse |
Aloysius Mugasa Adyeeri
(m. 1990) |
| Children | 5 |
| Residences | |
| Alma mater | Uganda Martyrs University (MA Development Studies) (BA (Hons), Democracy and Development Studies) College of Professional Management (CPM) UK (Diploma, Principles of Modern Management) (Diploma, Sales Management and Marketing) |
| Website | Official website |
Background and education
editGrace Mary Mugasa was born in Munteme, Hoima District, Western Uganda in December, 1968 to Pascal and Regina Rukanyanga.[8] She holds two Diplomas in Principles of Modern Management, Sales Management and Marketing from the College of Professional Management, United Kingdom.[12][8][10] as well as a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Democracy and Development Studies and a Master of Arts in Development Studies from Uganda Martyrs University, Nkozi.[13][8][10] Mrs. Mugasa also holds a Certificate in Capacity Building for Local Political Leaders from the ICLD, the Swedish Centre for International Development and a Certificate on Gender Mainstreaming in Local Governance from Israel - MASHAV Golda Meir Centre Mt Carmel.[8][10]
Career
editMugasa started her career as a teacher in Kizirafumbi Sub-county after her O-Level in 1986. Upon completion of her two diplomas in Principles of Modern Management and Sales Management & Marketing, she became a community trainer in small businesses and owned a small business herself. In 2001, she joined active Politics where she vied and was elected as woman councilor representing Northern ward in Hoima Town Council, Hoima District. She held the position for 10 years after her re-election in 2006. In July 2010, Hoima Town Council was upgraded to municipal status, and she was elected the first mayor of Hoima Municipality in March 2011 and later re-elected in 2016.[7]
In the 2021 general elections, then-incumbent Mayor, Grace Mary contested as an Independent candidate after a controversial election with contested results and violence against her supporters from one of the contesting candidates' camp.[14][15][16][17][18] She contested with three other candidates where Brian Kaboyo, the National Resistance Movement Flag bearer emerged as winner with 12,451 votes followed closely by Mugasa with 12,298 votes.[19] The other candidates were Dan Kaija of Uganda People's Congress (UPC) who had 315 votes, Rashid Tumusiime of the National Unity Platform with 303 votes and Wyclif Tumusiime, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) who came last with 215 votes.
Grace is also one of the founders of the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM)[20] in 2016 and was the second vice-chair of the GPM Executive Committee until her appointment as Minister in June, 2021.[21] She has also served as board member on various Boards: HOFOKAM Ltd (a microfinance company); Communications Board of Hoima Catholic Diocese; Millennium Business School; St. Andrea Kaahwa's College; Kitara Secondary School.
Personal life
editGrace Mary is married to Aloysius Mugasa Adyeeri, an Administrative Specialist and author,[22] currently Chairman of Uganda's National Lotteries and Gaming Board[23] - a position he held upon retiring as managing director of Uganda Kolping Society.[24] She is a mother with grown children and grandchildren as well as a guardian to a number of orphans. Grace's interests are Gender equality, and clean environment.[8][10]
Legacy
editDuring her two terms as mayor, Mary Grace Mugasa gained recognition for her "no-nonsense" approach towards organised urbanization. She earned a nickname as Hoima's "Iron Lady" among the city's residents and is known for intolerance towards disorder and garbage around the city while she advocated for proper, well-planned building procedures.[25][26] During her time as mayor, Hoima saw a transformation through rehabilitation of the Municipal/City headquarters as well as road construction[27] with the support of the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program, funded by the World Bank-IDA's loan program.[28][29][30]
As of March 2022, almost a year after her tenure, roads accredited to Grace Mary's requests towards the president and continuous lobbying were under construction in Hoima city.[31][32] These included the roads leading to and around the major worship centres - Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral, Bujumbura, St. Peter's Cathedral, Duhaga and Bwikya mosque, Kinubi.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Muhamadi, Byemboijana (4 March 2022). "MPs Want Redundant Science Ministry Staff Incorporated Into Other Ministries". SoftPower News.
- ^ "President Museveni names new cabinet". New Vision. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ Parliament of the Republic of Uganda (27 February 2018). "Cabinet Members and Ministers of State as at 03 August 2021". www.parliament.go.ug. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- ^ Patrick, Mundua (23 June 2021). "The New Minister of State for Public Service takes office". Ministry of Public Service. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ "Hoima mayor to priotise roads, water". New Vision. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- ^ Ssekika, Edward. "Kadaga appeals to investors to invest in education". The Observer - Uganda. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ a b "Oil drawing criminals - Hoima mayor | Uganda". www.monitor.co.ug. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f Official Website, www.gracemarymugasa.com. "Biography | Grace Mary Mugasa". GMM. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Conversation with Ms. Grace Mary Mugasa, Mayor of Hoima, Uganda". Cities Alliance. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Mugasa Grace Mary | Speaker | ASU GSV Summit". www.asugsvsummit.com. Retrieved 24 March 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Hoima city unveiled". New Vision. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
- ^ Official Website, www.gracemarymugasa.com. "Experience | Grace Mary Mugasa". GMM. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ Daily Monitor (9 March 2011). "Hoima's Mugasa makes her mark". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- ^ "Hoima city mayoral elections: Police arrest 10 suspects". The Independent Uganda. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
- ^ The Independent (4 September 2020). "Security beefed up in Kasese, Hoima, Mukono as NRM conducts primaries". The Independent. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Grace Mary Mugasa Archives". The Independent Uganda. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ "Grace Mugasa – Eizooba – Amakuru Ga'Bunyoro". Retrieved 24 March 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Uganda Radionetwork (25 August 2021). "Minister Mugasa Withdraws Election Petition filed Against Hoima City Mayor". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "NRM's Brian Kaboyo Wins Hoima City Mayoral Race – Spice Fm Hoima". Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ GPM (22 October 2021). "Grace Mary Mugasa, newest Honorary Member of the GPM". Global Parliament of Mayors. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ GPM (22 June 2021). "GPM Mayor Mugasa appointed Minister of State Public Service in Uganda". Global Parliament of Mayors. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ "Mugasa Adyeri Aloysius books and biography - Waterstones". Waterstones. Waterstones Booksellers Limited. 20 July 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Board Of Directors". Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board Uganda. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "50 years – 50 voices on the Kolping anniversary". Kolping International. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Hoima's Mugasa makes her mark". Monitor. Daily Monitor. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Hoima gets Extra Shs7b for development". Monitor. Daily Monitor. 13 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "Hoima,Oil city Uganda During Covid-19 Lock down Preview". YouTube. Kabalega TV. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "USMID Program". Ministry of Lands, Housing & Urban Development. 1 December 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ Tugume, Johnbosco (14 May 2019). "Museveni to Commission Multi-billion Hoima Municipality Road Project". Kampala Post. The Kampala Post. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
- ^ "USMID Projects Advancing the Western Region, Increasing Property Values". Real Muloodi. Real Muloodi News Network. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ Atuhairwe, Robert (7 April 2021). "Construction of sh30b roads kicks off in Hoima". New Vision. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ Ga'Bunyoro, Amakuru (7 April 2021). "Roads in Hoima Town to be Tarmacked". New Vision. Archived from the original on 6 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2022.