A handover ceremony took place between the outgoing Ugandan Foreign Minister, Sam Kutesa and the new one, Jeje Odongo in Kampala on Tuesday 22 June.
Jeje Odongo was appointed Foreign Minister in the Ugandan government on 8 June, replacing Sam Kutesa who had just served 16 years in the post. He holds a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy from the University of Nkumba (Uganda) obtained in May 2008. Since then, he has not held any position in diplomacy and international relations.
General Jeje Odongo is a senior officer. Since 2016, he has been Minister of Home Affairs. In 2009, he was promoted to general and appointed Minister of State for Defence. He will keep this portfolio until 2016.
Jeje Odongo was born on 09 July 1951 (soon to be 70) in Amuria District, Teso Sub-Region, Eastern Uganda. He attended Ngora High School. In 1979, he joined the Ugandan Army. He was one of the twenty-seven fighters who, together with Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, attacked the Kabamba barracks in February 1981. Thus they had just launched a guerrilla war that would last five years.
The Ugandan government has 82 members including 32 ministers and 50 ministers of state. Among them 10 ministers and 20 ministers of state are women (24.6%.)
Gerard Rugambwa
