Who is Mwesigwa Rukutana? Flash Uganda Media looks at his biography, early life, education and family of former Deputy Attorney General of Uganda.
Mwesigwa Rukutana is a Ugandan politician and lawyer. Formerly, Rukutana was the Deputy Attorney General of Uganda and was later transferred to Minister of State for Labor and currently, he’s the Rushenyi County Member of Parliament.
On 1 March 2015, Mwesigwa Rukutana was appointed Deputy Attorney General of Uganda replacing Fred Ruhindi.
Rukutana previously served as the State Minister for Labor in the Ugandan Cabinet between 27 May 2011 and 1 March 2015 replacing Emmanuel Otala who was dropped by the cabinet. Earlier, on 16 February 2009, he was the State Minister for Higher Education until 27 May 2011.
Mwesigwa Rukutana is the elected Member of Parliament for Rushenyi County, Ntungamo District and he has continuously served in the position since 2001.
After being defeated by Naome Kabasharira in the NRM primaries on 6 September 2020, Mwesigwa Rukutana became violent and took a gun from one of his bodyguards and shot two people who were rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.
That prompted the police in Ntungamo District to arrest and detains Rukutana and his three bodyguards following a shooting incident.
Early Life and Education
Mwesigwa Rukutana was born on 15 November 1959 in Ntungamo District. He went to Kigezi High School for O’ Level and later transferred to Mbarara High School to complete his A’ Level education.
He joined Makerere University for his Bachelor of Laws. Rukutana also holds a Diploma in Law Practice from Law Development Center Kampala, Uganda.
- 1984 Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice – Law Development Centre, Kampala
- 1983 Bachelor of Laws – Makerere University
- 1979 UACE – Mbarara High School
- 1977 UCE – Kigezi High School
Political career
Mwesigwa Rukutana served as the Registrar of Titles in the Ministry of Lands from 1986 to 1988. He was a Lecturer of Law at the Law Development Center, Kampala from 1984 until 1992.
He was in 1994 elected as a Delegate to the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Ugandan Constitution serving in the capacity until 1995. Rukutana was elected to the Ugandan Parliament to represent Rushenyi County, Ntungamo District in 2001.
In 2006, he was re-elected to serve the citizens. He then was appointed Minister of State for Finance in 2001 and served until 2006.
Rukutana was also in 2006 appointed State Minister for Labor serving in that capacity until 2009. On 16 February 2009, Mwesigwa Rukutana was reassigned as State Minister for Education, particularly for Higher Education.
- 2019 to date Minister of State for Gender, Labor and Social Development (Labor, Employment and Industrial Relations)
- 2015 – 2019 Deputy Attorney General – Government of Uganda
- 2014 – 2015 Minister of State for Gender, Labor and Social Development (Labor) – Uganda Government
- 2010 – 2013 Minister of State for Education and Sports (Higher Education) – Government of Uganda
- 2007 – 2010 Minister of State for Gender, Labor and Social Development (Labor) – Uganda Government
- 2001 – 2006 Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties) –GOU
- 1986 – 1989 Registrar of Titles – Ministry of Lands and surveys
- 1994 – 1995 Constituent Assembly Delegate – Parliament of Uganda
- 2016 to date Member of Parliament – Parliament of Uganda
Lawyer
- 1996 to date Advocate – Mwesigwa Rukutana & Co. Advocates
- 1993 – 1999 Advocate – Katende, Ssempebwa & Co. Advocates
- 1984 – 1996 Lecturer – Law Development Centre, Kampala
Personal information
Mwesigwa Rukutana is a member of the National Resistance Movement political party. Rukutana is interested in farming, real estates, hotels and resorts investments.
He is polygamous and married to four wives with fifteen children according to his interview with Daily Monitor newspaper in 2010.
Controversies
#1. Minister Rukutana dragged to jail
Rukutana with his bodyguards were arrested after they maliciously damaged a vehicle and allegedly shot identified as Dan Rweburungi who is a resident of Kagugu parish in Rubare sub-county and was a supporter of Naome Kabasharira, Rukutana’s opponent who took the NRM flag for Rushenyi County.
At Ruyonza junction is where a joint security team of army and police arrested Rukutana and his bodyguards who included Paul Egec No 62477, RA 215020L Cpl John Bosco Okello and police constable Faizo Kozala.
Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana was shortly detained at Ntungamo police station before an order to transfer him to Mbarara central police station.
The three guns of the accused were retrieved and handed over to Regional SOCO (Scene of Crime Officer) and later Rukutana’s car was towed to Ntungamo police station.
#2. Rukutana wins Rushenyi NRM primaries
Mwesigwa Rukutana, the state minister for Labor has in a twist of events been announced winner of the Rushenyi County NRM party primary elections.
The announcement was made by the Electoral Commission chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi, a few weeks after Ntungamo district NRM registrar Maria Mirembe announced Naome Kabasharira winner of the greatly contested primaries.
This followed Rukutuna’s petition to Dr Tanga Odoi for a vote recount after Mirembe declared Naome. Both candidates, however, raised queries on the controversy surrounding voting in Nyakahita village in Rugarama sub-county. Dr Odoi was forced to visit the area over to establish facts on the ground before making the final declaration.
#3. Rukutana faces charges of abuse of office.
In October 2011, Mwesigwa Rukutana together with two other ministers was arraigned before the High Court in Kampala and charged with the offences of abuse of office and causing financial loss.
Ministers Sam Kuteesa and Mwesigwa Rukutana with then chief whip John Nasasira were accused of misusing about shs500 billion meant for hosting the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM). Due to the accusations, they were all forced to resign from parliament and the trio appeared cooked.
The case was in a few months thrown out of court on a technicality after the Constitutional Court ruled that the case could not stand because the IGG who was prosecuting the ministers was in breach of the constitution.
At about the same time, Minister Rukutana was in court as Sam Kuteesa was battling another corruption case in parliament, called Tullow Scandal. Allegedly, Sam Kuteesa with the then Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and then Internal Affairs minister Hillary Onek had taken bribes from the Anglo-Irish oil company Tullow Oil in exchange for concessions in oil fields.
Between 1 June and 16 July 2010, MPs alleged that Tullow paid $100 million to expert bureaucrats among them three.
#4. Rukutana hands over the office of Deputy Attorney General
On Thursday, 20 February 2020, Rukutana handed over the office of the new Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi at a ceremony held at Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs offices in Kampala.
President Museveni made a reshuffle in his cabinet naming Kafuuzi to the post of Deputy Attorney General replacing Mwesigwa Rukutana who was named State Minister for Gender.
#5. Rukutana brands Museveni as superhuman given by God
During a celebration to mark 14 years of Radio Ankole in Ntungamo town, Mwesigwa Rukutana said President Yoweri Museveni is growing stronger and can do things better than his younger compatriots.
“I confirm to you that NRM is still very strong, the chairman is strong. Being 75 years, he does what I Rukutana at 60 can’t do including my friends. His pushups, brain, walking, thinking and speaking. He delivers a speech even though he has not written. Having traveled with him in several places, he was given to us by God and he is a ruler of leaders,” said Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana.
Hobbies
- Farming
- Construction
- Real Estate Development
- Drama
- Music
- Dancing
Member of Professional Bodies
- Uganda Law Society
- East African Law Society
