Abed Bwanika

Abed Bwanika (born 1 August 1967) is a Ugandan veterinarian, politician, and pastor. He is the President of the People's Development Party, an opposition political party in Uganda.[2]

Abed Bwanika
Born (1967-08-01) 1 August 1967
Masaka District, Uganda Protectorate (now Lwengo District, Uganda)
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUganda
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine)
(Master of Veterinary Science)
Occupation(s)Veterinarian, politician, religious leader
Years active1987–present
TitlePresident
People's Development Party/DP Balock
SpouseGladys Namusuwe[1]

Background and education

Bwanika was born on 1 August 1967 in modern-day Lwengo District.[3] He attended Kimwanyu Primary School, near his parents' home in said area. Later, he studied at Masaka Secondary School for his 'O' level, and at Kigezi High School for his 'A' level. He was admitted to Makerere University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Later, he earned a Master of Science degree in the same field, also from Makerere.[4]

Career

Following his first degree, he stayed on at Makerere as a graduate tutor, while he conducted research and pursued a second degree.[4] In 2001, he left teaching and a private veterinary consultancy. He also opened a church, Christian Witness Church.[5]

During the 1996 presidential elections, he supported Yoweri Museveni but switched allegiance to Kizza Besigye in 2001. He ran as an independent candidate in the February 2006 presidential election,[5] where he finished in fourth place, with 0.95 percent of the vote (65,874 total votes).[6]

He again contested the February 2011 presidential elections as the candidate of the People's Development Party, which he founded; he is also the party's president.[7] The second-time around, he received about 14,000 fewer votes (51,708 total votes), garnering 0.65 percent of the popular vote.[6]

In August 2020 he left the People's Development Party to join the National Unity Platform.[8] In the 2021 general election he was elected to Parliament to represent the Kimanya-Kabonera constituency in Masaka City.[9]

Personal life

Bwanika is married to Gladys Namusuwe, a fish biologist and lecturer in the Department of Zoology at Makerere University. They have been married since 1995 and are the parents of four sons: Wise, Decent, Chosen, and Delight.[1]

References
  1. "Abed Bwanika And Gladys Namusuwe of PDP". New Vision (Kampala). 29 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  2. Mukombozi, Rajab (30 March 2015). "Get Out of Kampala, Bwanika Tells Opposition". Daily Monitor (Kampala). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  3. Bindhe, Edward (20 March 2014). "Dr. Abed Bwanika Among Evicted Lwengo Wetland Encroachers". Uganda Radio Network (URN). Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  4. Ashaba, Anita (30 September 2013). "Abed Bwanika: I Was Called To Do Big Things In Life". Ugo.co.ug. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  5. "Uganda's Other Presidential Hopefuls". BBC News. 17 February 2006. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  6. "Ugandan Presidential Election, 2011". Uganda Electoral Commission. March 2011. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  7. "Eight Candidates to Contest Uganda 2011 Elections". Africanelections.org Quoting Uganda Electoral Commission. 30 November 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  8. Javira Ssebwami (13 August 2020). "Crossing the Red Line! 'President' Bwanika defects to NUP from his own party". PML Daily. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  9. "Editorial: Uganda should focus on the day after tomorrow". The East African. 19 January 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
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