Who is Avur Jane Pacuto? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, achievements, and relationship with the late Mr Tanga Odoi, and Mrs Eseza, Tanga Collins, the early life and education of t a Ugandan academician and politician.
Tanga Odoi famously addressed as Dr Tanga Odoi is a Ugandan academician and politician.
He is currently the Chairman of the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) Electoral Commission by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Dr. Tanga Odoi is the former Chairperson of the Makerere University Convocation.
Early Life
Dr Tanga Odoi was born in the Eastern part of Uganda in Tororo District to the late Mr Tanga Odoi and Mrs Eseza.
Odoi was born in a polygamous family of four wives and he is one of the last children out of the twenty-six.
Education Background
Tanga Odoi attended Kisoro Boys Primary School for his primary education.
He then went to Makerere High School where he completed both his O-level and A-level studies.
Odoi afterwards joined Makerere University where he studied Education and graduated in the year 1988.
He continued to attain a Master’s Degree in Economic History and a PhD in Political History.
Education background summary
| Years | Institution | Status /Award |
| Kisoro Boys Primary School | PLE | |
| Makerere High School | UCE & UACE | |
| 1988 | Makerere University | Bachelors of Arts degree in Education |
| Makerere University | Master’s Degree in Economic History | |
| Makerere University | PhD in Political History |
Family Background
Tanga Odoi, his polygamous father, was born in the year 1920 and died in 2017 due to a weak heart although allegations were made that he died of witchcraft which Dr Tanga Odoi rubbished.
Odoi’s father had married four wives and Tanga Odoi says that he grew up with all these women under the same roof.
His father had seven acres of cotton which were worked on by the large family.
Odoi’s mother was a woman who used to ask his husband to first give his other three wives sugar before he gave her.
Marriage / Relationship
Dr Tanga Odoi is married with three boys. One of the boys is Tanga Collins.
Career and Professional Work Experience
After graduation, Dr Tanga Odoi started teaching at the university in the Department of History at Makerere University in the year 1993.
He also taught history in various schools around Uganda like; Kibuli Secondary School, Gombe Secondary School, Kawempe Muslim Secondary School, Nabisunsa Girls School and his former school in Tororo district.
While at Makerere University, Tanga Odoi became the leader of the academic staff association which is called Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA).
He later became the Chairperson of the Makerere University convocation until 2023 when he was replaced by George Turyamureeba.
Dr Tanga Odoi also joined the National Resistance Movement political party and was appointed by President Museveni as the chairman of the NRM Electoral Commission.
Work experience background summary
| Years | Institution | Position |
| 1993 | Makerere University | Lecturer at the Department of History |
| Kibuli Secondary School, Gombe Secondary School, Kawempe Muslim Secondary School, Nabisunsa Girls School | History Teacher | |
| Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) | Chairperson | |
| 2023 | Makerere University convocation | Chairperson |
| Present | NRM Electoral Commission | Chairperson |
Controversies
Dr Tanga Odoi has been involved in several controversies at the helm of the NRM Electoral Commission chairmanship.
He has had several clashes with Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba over the running of the party affairs at the party Secretariat. They disagreed on who should take the lead in the primaries to choose flag bearers before cameras in a press conference.
Tanga ended up making it clear that, as far as he was concerned, the responsibility of all election matters rested with him as EC Chairperson. He also complained that Lumumba had ambushed him to address reporters yet he had also called a press conference.
NRM district leaders in early 2018 started collecting signatures to write a petition to the National Party Chairman to kick Dr Tanga Odoi out of office over what they called “indiscipline and bad conduct”.
Mr Odoi was accused of “insulting” Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba when he described her on national television stations as “a good mobiliser and dancer but a bad administrator.”
This was after Lumumba announced that the party was sacking over 300 workers including district administrative secretaries and officials from the Electoral Commission.
Dr Odoi was not impressed by the decision hence insisting that his EC officials will not leave their offices at plot 10, Kyadondo Road and the district level.
As a result, Hajji Twaha Songo the Chairman of the NRM District Chairpersons Forum called a meeting of leaders from across the country and they resolved that Dr Odoi be asked to apologize or resign.
However, Dr Odoi failed to either apologize or resign in a two-day ultimatum and there was no other step other than petitioning President Museveni to sack him. However, this petition failed because until today Odoi is still in office.
Tanga Odoi served as MUASA chairperson at the time Prof Venasius Baryamureeba served as the Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University.
However, the two had numerous fights on various issues concerning decision-making, at one time Odoi was quoted saying he would work to see him dislodged as Makerere’s Vice-Chancellor.
Tanga Odoi was also actively involved in leading staff strikes as a result of poor pay and poor administration at the University.
Dr Tanga Odoi was also involved in a fight with the State Minister of Mineral Development Sarah Opendi. Opendi accused Odoi of spreading rumours in Tororo District, claiming she bewitched the late district chairperson, Apollo Jaramogi who passed away in January 2017. This made Opendi question Tanga Odoi’s mental health.
Dr. Tanga Odoi recommended going to court in January 2023 for those who felt wronged by their current Makerere University Convocation leadership.
This came about following a petition by a portion of the university’s alumni office to the academic registrar’s office, where they requested a notice to move for a vote of no confidence against Dr Tanga.
They alleged that Tanga and other members misused Shs1.5 billion in convocation funding for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 without submitting a budget or an accountability report, and they also held an unlawful annual general meeting.
