By Our Reporters
Those who know him say that President Museveni’s lawyer Kiwanuka Kiryowa is a steel-willed personality who doesn’t tolerate mediocrity and it’s this character that has created anxiety at Makerere University where Education Minister Janet Museveni has just deployed him as one of the three personalities representing government on the governing council. The other two are ex-PS Stephen Kagoda and education private investor Lorna Magara who has since been elected by other members to serve as Council chair replacing seasoned Eng Wana Etyem. As a lawyer, Kiryowa is known for making very forceful arguments even when submitting before a judge. This abrasiveness is what was clearly on display in early 2012 when he represented KCCA councilors who petitioned Frank Tumwebaze to have Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago impeached. He eventually became their lead counsel at the Bamugemereire inquiry whose report was based on to justify Lukwago’s impeachment that was subsequently nullified by court. He has been a key member of the President’s and NRM Party’s legal team each time they are challenged in courts of law. That is the little many in the Mak community know about independence struggle icon Jolly Joe Kiwanuka’s grandson who also has unfettered access to both Janet and Yoweri Museveni. At the law firm, his partner is Edwin Karugire who marries the President daughter Natasha. Karugire’s father was a respected Ankole elder and renowned history professor at Makerere of the yesteryears. Knowledgeable sources say Kiryowa’s membership will help deepen the education Minister’s understanding of the dynamics at Makerere which is simply Uganda’s premier University. “His membership represents the very high levels of authority in this country and could be indicative of what lies ahead,” says a member of the University top management adding that Janet is very optimistic that this new team will strengthen what Etyem has left in place and pacify Makerere of students and staff strikes once and for all. But what remains uncertain is how the new council is exactly going to go about things in order to meet the appointing authority’s expectations. Yet Kiryowa’s conduct even on the first day only created more anxiety. Inside the hall where the new council chair was elected and the vice, Kiryowa was in attendance but curiously moved on when the crucial vote was being undertaken to determine who joins the new council as representatives of the public. He stormed out and requested to be called back after the crucial vote had been taken. Many were left wondering why he chose to abstain from a vote in which all the other council members enthusiastically participated. In the end Ruhinda MP Thomas Tayebwa, Bruce Kabasa and Dan Kidega were elected for the public slot. “The man looks tough and we all remain uncertain on how we are going to relate with him,” says a member of Makerere top management who didn’t want to be named. But another top management member was more hopeful they are going to immensely benefit from KK. “We have always lacked a person with such easy access to the President and our sector minister and now that we have KK, things are going to become a lot easier because we are a poor University inevitably needing the audience of the Minister and the President from time to time. Janet has been trying increasing access to us and with KK now that can only be strengthened,” said the more optimistic top management member.
