Who is Musa Francis Ecweru? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, relationship with Oduman Okello, late Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi, Amuria County in Amuria District, early life and education of the current Minister of State for Works and Transport in Uganda.
Musa Francis Ecweru is an accountant and politician from Uganda. He is the current Minister of State for Works and Transport in Uganda’s eleventh Cabinet and also the Parliamentary representative of Amuria County in Amuria District.
He is the former State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness and a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) political party.
Early Life and Education
Musa Francis Ecweru was born on November 25, 1964, in Amuria District, Eastern Uganda to William Ecweru. He is married, and the third born amongst the ten children of his father.
Musa began his academic journey by attending Angole/Wera Primary School in 1971 and sitting for his PLE in 1979.
Afterwards, he enrolled in Teso College Aloet for his secondary education in 1980.
Ecweru then enrolled in Bukalasa Agricultural College to study cooperatives, but he was unable to complete his studies due to the Luwero Triangle rebellion.
He went to Colonel William Omaria Lo Arapai’s house, a major Teso figure during the Milton Obote II era. Colonel Omaria sent him to Nkumba University, then known as Nkumba College, to study accounting. He then received a Diploma in Accounting from the institution.
Years later in Kampala, he earned a Certificate in Human Resources Management from the Uganda Management Institute.
Musa Ecweru has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Democracy and Development Studies from Uganda Martyrs University in Nkozi, Mpigi District.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Musa Ecweru worked as an Accounts Clerk at Aracil Concrete Products, a Ugandan company in Amuria, from 1986 until 1992.
Between 1992 and 1993, he was the Teso sub-Local region’s Defence Commander (LDU) and the Deputy Resident Commissioner (DRDC) of Soroti District from 1993 to 1994.
He was sent to Lira District in 1994 as the Deputy Resident Commissioner, where he remained until 1998.
Ecweru was then promoted to Resident District Commissioner (RDC) in 1998 and relocated to Nebbi District, where he served until 2000.
In 2000, he was assigned to Gulu District as RDC and served there till 2002. He was also RDC for Kasese District from 2002 to 2004, and Soroti District from 2004 to 2006.
Musa Francis Ecweru was appointed the State Minister for Relief and Disaster Preparedness on June 1, 2006. Cabinet reshuffles on February 16, 2009, May 27, 2011, and May 27, 2016, saw him still serving in the same position.
However, in 2021, he was appointed as the Minister of State for Works and Transport in the Ugandan Cabinet.
He successfully ran for the parliamentary representative seat of Amuria County in Amuria District in 2006. As the incumbent MP, he was re-elected in March 2011, March 2016, and March 2021.
Achievements and Awards
He has been the Chief of the Arrow Auxiliary Organization, a volunteer force that protects civilians from the Lord’s Resistance Army, since 2003.
Controversies
Musa Francis Ecweru was chastised by the Church and the public in May 2021 for reportedly attacking three clerics of St. John’s Church of Uganda in the company of his bodyguard, Juma Odiope in Wera Sub County.
He accused them of infringing on a piece of land that belonged to Wera Seed Secondary School in Wera Town Council, Amuria district.
The clergymen who were attacked included Rev. Simon Peter Olato, the Parish Priest of Wera Church of Uganda, and his two lay readers; Benjamin Otasono of Aten’s Church and Simon Peter Eriku of St. John’s church.
The police in Wera refused to record any statement against the Minister claiming the issue was out of their jurisdiction. However, the Bishop of Soroti Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Kosea Odong issued a press statement that there was no land conflict in Wera and asked President Museveni to punish Ecweru for his deeds.
Musa Ecweru was accused of intervening in business outside his area (Amuria) by Oduman Okello, the Member of Parliament for Bukedea without alerting him.
Okello wrote to former Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi (late), accusing Ecweru of pressuring Bukedea voters into voting for the National Resistance Movement’s candidate in the Bukedea women’s parliamentary elections.
Ecweru however laughed at the charges and denied intimidating Bukedea voters. He claimed that no law required him to consult with an MP before visiting his or her constituency.
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