By Aggrey Baba
When Hon. Juma Witonze was picked by President Museveni for the State Minister for Internal Affairs job, the appointment may have looked to many people like the sudden elevation of a little-known politician. But a closer look at Witonze’s journey shows a different picture, a political operator who has spent years accumulating the kind of experience that is difficult to acquire from holding one elective office in the current political world.
Witonze’s biggest asset may, in fact, be that he has had to learn politics without enjoying the protection of electoral success. His political career has involved repeated attempts to win positions, repeated disappointments and, importantly, the decision to remain active after each lose. That experience has forced him to build influence through organization, relationships and service rather than relying entirely on an elected position. His political breakthrough did not come when he contested Gomba East in 2026 and lost to Robina Rwakoojo. It came in the years that followed, when he turned his attention to mobilization and grassroots organization, when he eventually became NRM chairperson for Gomba District and later took on the role of PLU coordinator for Greater Mpigi.
In other words, defeat did not remove Witonze from the political field, but rather, it pushed him towards the organizational side of politics. That distinction matters because political parties and movements need more than candidates, but people who can organize communities, build networks, communicate a message and keep supporters engaged when there is no election taking place. Witonze spent years doing exactly that.
His usefulness became particularly visible during the 2026 election season, when he was included on a seven-member team responsible for coordinating Museveni’s campaigns in Greater Mpigi, an area which had previously been firmly in opposition hands and Witonze and his team’s mobilization contributed to the NRM’s return there. But even before that assignment, Witonze had been cultivating another skill that could make him valuable to government, and that’s none other than understanding Uganda from an international and economic perspective.
His master’s degree studies in international relations and diplomatic studies at Makerere University were not simply an academic qualification, because his research into economic diplomacy and bilateral trade integration, using Mombasa as a case study, deepened his interest in how Uganda connects with other East African countries and the wider world.
He subsequently took that interest outside the university environment. Witonze reportedly travelled internationally to promote Uganda to potential investors and encourage them to explore opportunities in the country, enabling him to bring some investors into Uganda and undertook much of this work voluntarily.
That is a significant part of his story because it shows a young politician who was trying to make himself useful before holding a government office. Rather than waiting for an official diplomatic title, he was already talking about investment, trade and Uganda’s economic potential. Rather than limiting his political activities to his home district, he was building contacts beyond borders of Uganda.
His interest in economic diplomacy also explains the economic ideas he now brings into public life. Hon. Witonze is particularly interested in what his country can produce, sell and process for itself. He describes his approach as “mercantilist”, arguing that Uganda needs to increase exports, reduce excessive dependence on imports and retain more value from its natural resources.
His prescription covers several sectors, as he sees tourism as an underused source of national revenue and employment, believing agriculture should be modernized and commercialized, and wants Uganda’s minerals processed locally instead of being exported with limited value added. He also sees opportunities in entertainment and sports, particularly as Uganda searches for ways of creating employment for its youthful population.
These are not the standard talking points of a politician whose career has been built purely around elections. They point to someone who has spent considerable time thinking about Uganda’s economic relationship with the rest of the world.
There is another feature of Witonze’s journey that makes his rise unusual. That leadership appears to have followed him from a young age. At Kisoga Church of Uganda Primary School in Gomba, he served as head prefect. He later held the same position at Lukalu SS and became minister for social affairs at Kyambogo University.
His degree in community rehabilitation, obtained on a government scholarship, was followed by a brief engagement with one of Uganda’s leading publication before he pursued a master’s degree at Makerere University.
None of these positions alone would make someone a national political figure. Taken together, however, they show a long-running interest in organization, leadership and public affairs.
Even his failed attempt to join the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) in 2026 adds another dimension to the story. Witonze received 81 votes and finished third among 44 candidates. For the second time in a major political contest, the position he wanted went to someone else.
Yet the defeat never erased the work he had already done. By then, he had developed experience that didn’t depend on the outcome of a ballot. He had led at district level, mobilized for the NRM and PLU, worked on presidential campaigns, studied international relations and attempted to connect Ugandan opportunities with international investors.
That may be the more interesting explanation for his eventual appointment. Museveni wasn’t necessarily selecting a politician because he had conquered an electoral constituency. He was selecting someone whose political value had been built through several different environments.
Witonze’s own account suggests that he believes his international work and political mobilization eventually caught the President’s eye. It’s believed that Museveni began noticing Witonze’s leadership abilities through these activities.
Ultimately, Witonze’s story is about the value of experience acquired outside the ballot box, something which is always overlooked in the world of politics.
He tried Parliament in 2016 and lost. He tried again in other political contests and did not get through. He tried EALA in 2026 and finished third. But each time, he remained active and found another way to contribute.
The result is a politician whose CV reads less like that of a traditional career MP and more like that of an organizer who has deliberately accumulated different forms of experience, and that could explain why his recent appointment by the president as State Minister for Internal Affairs generated curiosity.
Juma Witonze may have arrived at the ministerial table without the familiar political trophies, but he has years of learning how to organize people, survive disappointment, cultivate relationships, understand international affairs and think about the country’s economic opportunities. For the appointing authority, that combination may have been the treasure. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
