Who is Julius Mucunguzi? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, age, wife, family, tribe, career, author, work and experience, relationship with Lydia Tumushabe Masanyu and Turyagyenda Masanyu, Peter Mwesige, David Ouma Balikowa, early life and education of the current PR and Spokesperson for the Electoral Commission of Uganda.
Julius Mucunguzi is a seasoned Ugandan communications professional and academician, currently serving as the Head of Public Relations and Spokesperson for the Electoral Commission of Uganda.
His career is defined by extensive experience in journalism, academia, international relations, and public affairs, reflecting a journey from humble beginnings in rural Kabale to high-profile roles at both the national and international levels.
Early Life & Family background
Julius Mucunguzi was born on 3 March 1975 in Kilembe Mines Hospital, in the then-Kasese District which is now part of the Western Region of Uganda.
He was born to Lydia Tumushabe Masanyu (mother) and Turyagyenda Masanyu (father) a Mukiga from Kabale District.
Mucunguzi’s early years were shaped by the rhythms of rural and peri-urban life.
His father, who had migrated from Kabale to work in the Kilembe copper mines in the 1960’s, moved the family to Lugazi in 1978 taking a job as a machine operator at the sugar works. This was because of the decline in mining operations due to the economic sanctions imposed on the Amin government.
Yet, due to mounting dissatisfaction with conditions in Lugazi, the family eventually chose to return permanently to their home village of Ryabirengye, Kabale.
Julius himself spent time in Masese (near Jinja) selling fried fish and charcoal as part of his youthful efforts to support himself at school. He also worked as a Yellow Pages mailman and vended newspapers in the struggle to make ends meet.
Education Background
After completing Primary Seven with an aggregate of twelve, Julius Mucunguzi left Kabale for Jinja in January 1989 to live with his uncle, Jackson Agaba. However, he discovered that his uncle, once a factory worker, had lost his job and was now doing cobbler work and living in a small shack due to economic hardships caused by government reforms.
Agaba shared Julius’s situation with one of his clients, Florence Mutyabule, a teacher at Jinja Secondary School, who helped secure him an admission for Senior One through the Head teacher. Because of the school’s large population, studies were being conducted in shifts. Julius studied for half a day and used the other half of the day to do odd jobs to raise school fees.
He soon met Mama Jaasi, a fish vendor who first paid him to fetch water before mentoring him to sell fried fish himself. With her small starter kit of fish, cooking oil and a frying pan, Julius quickly became known in Masese as the young Mukiga who sold fish. However, as his business thrived, his school performance declined.
After Senior Two, he returned home to Kabale, where his father, concerned that money might derail his studies, insisted he transfer to a nearby school. Julius joined Kigezi High School but could not sustain his fees and was later discontinued.
Seeking help, he applied for a scholarship from Hector Sutherland, a Scottish missionary supporting underprivileged students in Kigezi. He received the bursary and enrolled at Lake Bunyonyi Secondary School, where he also farmed sweet potatoes on school land to earn pocket money.
Later, Julius returned to Kigezi High School for A-Level, scoring 21 points, which earned him a place at Makerere University in October 1996 to study Mass Communication. Encouraged by lecturers like Peter Mwesige and David Ouma Balikowa, he began publishing articles and eventually became a correspondent for The Monitor (now Daily Monitor) in 1998.
During his third year at Makerere, a former acquaintance, Geoffrey Byarugaba, recommended him for a year-long internship in Washington D.C. in 2000. Two years later, he left The Monitor to pursue a Master’s Degree in Media and Communication at the University of Oslo in Norway.
Education background summary
| Years | Institution | Status /Award |
| Aug 2002 – Jul 2004 | University of Oslo | Master of Philosophy – MPhil, Media, Democracy and Development |
| Sep 2002 – Dec 2002 | International Institute of Journalism, Berlin | Certificate, Training of Trainers- Journalism |
| May 2000 – Apr 2001 | Family Research Council, Washington DC | Diploma in Natural Law |
| Sep 1996 – Oct 1999 | Makerere University | Bachelor’s degree, Mass Communication/Media Studies |
| 1994 – 1995 | Kigezi High School | A – Level |
| Lake Bunyonyi Secondary School | O – Level |
Other academic accomplishments
After his Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication, Mucunguzi pursued a Diploma in Natural Law, from Family Research Council at Washington DC between May 2000 and April 2001.
In 2002, from September to December, he did an additional Certificate for Training of Trainers in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism in Berlin.
Career and Professional Work Experience
Towards the end of his stay in Norway, Mucunguzi signed a contract with New Vision as a senior reporter three months in advance.
After three months at the newspaper, he joined World Vision Uganda as a senior communications specialist from October 2004 to May 2006.
He then joined the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, United Kingdom as a communications specialist. He was later promoted to communication advisor until 2014, when he returned to Uganda.
On his return to Uganda, he was appointed to serve as the Advisor and Head of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister of Uganda under Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda in January 2015. He continued to serve under Robinah Nabbanja even after Dr. Ruhakana left office until January 2023.
In this position, he was the principal advisor on media relations and strategic communications to the Prime Minister and also headed the Communications Department.
He also held a short tenure as the Under-Secretary-General for Public Relations and Engagement at the Organization of Educational Cooperation (OEC), an entity dedicated to championing balanced and inclusive educational policies across the Global South.
In April 2024, Julius Mucunguzi was appointed to serve as the Head of Public Relations and Spokesperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) of Uganda
In that role, he leads media relations, digital communications, public-engagement strategy, voter and civic education outreach, stakeholder management and internal communications for the EC.
Work experience background summary
| Years | Institution | Position |
| Apr 2024 – Present | Electoral Commission, Uganda | Head of Public Relations & Spokesperson |
| Jan 2015 – Jan 2023 | Office of the Prime Minister Uganda | Advisor and Head of Communications |
| Jun 2006 – Dec 2014 | Commonwealth Secretariat, London Area, United Kingdom | Communications Advisor |
| Oct 2004 – May 2006 | World Vision Uganda | Senior Communications Officer |
| Oct 2000 – May 2006 | Makerere University | Junior Lecturer/ Teaching Assistant |
| Jul 2004 – Oct 2004 | New Vision newspaper | Senior Reporter |
| Apr 1997 – Aug 2002 | Daily Monitor Newspaper | News Reporter |
Other Career Accomplishments
Mucunguzi Julius was retained as a Junior Lecturer at Makerere University from October 2000 to May 2006. He taught news writing and reporting, specialised writing, strategic communications, Public Relations, research and issues in mass communication in the Department of Mass Communication.
While teaching at Makerere University, he was noted for combining journalism instructions with life-lessons and personal narratives, making him memorable to students.
Mucunguzi has represented Uganda and the Commonwealth in election-observation and media-capacity building missions, for example in Nigeria and Gambia, which speaks to his international communications credentials.
Achievements and Awards
Julius Mucunguzi has a wealthy experience and solid career in communications spanning over two decades both on the national and international level.
As an author, Mucunguzi is most known for his book ‘Once upon a time…The Story of Keeping Hope Alive’. The book is an inspiring autobiography that traces his journey from humble beginnings in rural Kabale to becoming a respected communications professional.
The book captures his struggles with poverty, resilience in the face of hardship, and the transformative power of education and hope. Through vivid storytelling, Mucunguzi highlights how perseverance, mentorship, and integrity shaped his path to success. He concludes the book with his meeting of the Queen of England.
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