PROFILE: Who is Minister Elioda Tumwesigye?

By our reporter

Early this week, minister of science, technology and innovations Elioda Tumwesigye shocked the nation when he decided to join the Sheema Municipality parliamentary race without stepping down as MP for Sheema north constituency.

Dr. Tumwesigye was on Tuesday evening nominated at plot 10 Kyadondo Road by NRM electoral commission despite calls from some party members that he should not be nominated since he is a sitting MP.

On Wednesday morning, a group of youth also held a procession through Sheema municipality protesting the nomination of Dr Tumwesigye with fellow contestants accusing the minister of greed since he’s currently serving his fourth term as an MP.

But who is Elioda Tumwesigye?

Tumwesigye was born in Sheema District on 5 April 1964 to Yekonia Kasyamutwe and Esteeri Kasyamutwe.

He was their second child. He attended Ntare School for his O-Level and A-level studies.

During his A-level, Tumwesigye was elected Head Boy and in 1984 he was the third best performing student in UACE in the whole country .

He obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Makerere University in 1990.

While attending Makerere, he started the Sheema University Student’s Association, which was still active up to date.

He was also elected health secretary of University Hall, a men’s hall of residence at Makerere.

In 1997, he obtained a Master of Science in epidemiology from Case Western Reserve University.

From 1990 until 2001, he worked as a medical officer at the Uganda Ministry of Health, serving in the Epidemiology Studies Unit during the last four years.

In 2001, he contested and won the parliamentary seat of Sheema County North, in Sheema District, on the National Resistance Movement political party ticket, a seat he still holds up to date.