Life and times of Former Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi

Professor Apolo Nsibambi died on Tuesday at his home in Rubaga division at the age of 78.

Prof. Nsibambi, 78, also a one time chancellor of Makerere University, is said to have been battling prostate cancer. Close sources say he refused to seek for government help and decided to keep his illness a secret with his family till his death.

Who was Apolo Nsibambi?

Apolo Nsibambi was born on 25 October 1940. He was the son of Simeon Nsibambi, who together with John E. Church led the Balokole or the “East African Revival” movement.

The fallen Professor attended King’s College Budo for his high school education. He held a Bachelor of Science degree in economics, with honors, from Makerere University under London University. He also held a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of Chicago in the United States. His Doctor of Philosophy degree was obtained from the University of Nairobi.

Nsibambi served as the dean of Faculty of Social Science at Makerere University from 1978 until 1983 and from 1985 until 1987. He was appointed head of the Department of Political Science at Makerere University in 1987, a position he held until 1990. He was Director of the Makerere Institute of Social Research from 1994 to 1996.

Between 1996 and 1998, he served as Minister of Public Service in the Uganda Cabinet. In 1998 he was appointed Minister of Education and Sports, serving in that capacity until 1999 when he was appointed Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament until 2011 when Amama Mbabazi succeeded him.

Nsibambi also served as the chancellor of Makerere University from 2003 until October 2007.

He married his wife, Esther, in March 2003 after the death of his first wife, Rhoda, in December 2001. He was the father of four daughters, and the grandfather of at least five grandchildren. He was a practicing Anglican.

He loved the church faithfully and he every morning he would be at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Apolo and Esther Nsibambi’s absence from church would always be noticed and it had been a practice for the clergy to announce why they were not in attendance.

“For the past two months he has not been attending church, He was respected member of St Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe. He would attend the Luganda service that starts at 10:30am,” revealed Olive Nakatudde, a local journalist.

Additional information from Wikipedia