| Gerald Ssendaula | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 May 1943 Uganda |
| Residence | Masaka, Uganda |
| Nationality | Ugandan |
| Ethnicity | Muganda |
| Citizenship | Uganda |
| Education | Bachelor of Commerce Nairobi University, Kenya, |
| Occupation | Farmer & Politician |
| Years active | 1980 — present |
| Known for | Politics, Farming |
| Home town | Masaka |
| Title |
Chairman Uganda Revenue Authority Private Sector Foundation of Uganda Tropical Bank NUCAFE |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Gerald Majera Ssendaula is a retired Ugandan Politician, Banker, and a Farmer who was a Former Cabinet Minister and MP Member of Parliament born May 15, 1943, Kyabbogo Village, Kingo Subcounty, Masaka District[1] carved out to form the present Lwengo District.
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Gerald Majera Ssendaula (born May 15, 1943, Kyabbogo, Kingo Subcounty, Masaka District) carved out to form the present Lwengo District, six Miles on Masaka - mbarara Road. His parents were the late Edward Byansi Kalibala and Maria Nakanwagi Nakato the oldest amongst his siblings of six brothers and two sisters still alive.
He started his education at Kyoko Primary and Nkoni Primary schools, then continued to St. Pius Junior Secondary School because he was a Roman Catholic.[2]
Because his father was less interested in educating children, Ssendaula’s mother applied for a Buganda Government scholarship to take the young Ssendaula to a reasonable school but without success.
He later met with Aga Ssekalala of Ugachick who was then a student of Senior Four but knew some Buganda Kingdom officials. Aga Ssekalala later introduced Ssendaula to the Mengo establishment, leading to the re-activation of his scholarship application in 1963. A scholarship of Shs 905 then enabled him to join Namilyango College, where he studied from senior one to senior six. He later joined Nairobi University in 1969 where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. There were about 27 other Ugandans at Nairobi University during his time, including Livingstone Okello Okello (Chua County), FDC's Cecilia Ogwal (Dokolo Woman MP), and Prof. Mondo Kagonyera.
After his studies in Kenya, Ssendaula returned to Barclays Bank in Uganda[3] where he had worked as a clerk during his S.6 vacation. The two-year Barclays Bank London training known as ‘Day Release’ prepared him for an administrative role. He worked at the bank’s Kabale branch before he was transferred to Nairobi to conduct some in-house training. He later returned to Uganda and rose ranks making him a General Manager with Barclays Bank later quitting for politics in 1980. He joined the Democratic Party as MP for Bukoto - Masaka District from 1980-1985. He was also a Member of the Masaka Cooperative Union, Chairman of Masaka District in 1988- 1992 where he was elected as the NRC Representative for Bukoto-Masaka.
In 1980 Ssendaula joined politics as a Democratic Party supporter contesting for Parliament MP and got elected for Bukoto Central (presently Bukomansimbi and Masaka Municipality). With UPC in power and DP in opposition, Ssendaula was shadow spokesman for housing, while Evaristo Nyanzi was for finance (treasury).
In 1982, tragedy befell the opposition MP when his wife, Rosemary Nanyonga, was shot dead at their grocery in Mpererwe, on Gayaza Road, opposite their home. It was 2 p.m. and Ssendaula was in Masaka working at his father’s coffee farm in Kinoni. The crime of his wife was apparently opening her shop while minister Samwiri Mugwisa was addressing a rally in Kawempe, moreover speaking about rebel activities in the country.
Mrs. Ssendaula tried to reason with the soldiers who attacked her, that Kawempe, where the rally was being held, was far away from Mpererwe where her shop was. They didn’t listen shooting her there and then. With the murder of his wife at the back of his mind, Ssendaula left his Mpererwe home joining the National Resistance Army (NRA) when the rebels started capturing territory around 1984. It was ‘Commander’ Victor Bwana who persuaded him to join Museveni’s forces and he was too angry with the UPC government to resist the temptation.
Ssendaula helped the rebels export coffee, beans and hides to get some revenue since he was attached to the defact Masaka cooperative Union. At that time in 1984, the NRA had established a government it captured territory as the Kampala - Masaka road was cut of my the rebels, with their headquartres in Fort Portal. Ssendaula served in this ‘government’ as a commissioner, equivalent of a minister.
When the NRA captured power, he worked briefly at the NRM Secretariat, basically to wind up the rebels’ export business as there was now a government to take care of it. In 1987, he went to Masaka, contested and got elected district chairman as its first District Chairman under the NRM. He later joined the expanded National Resistance Council (NRC) legislature in 1989 as Bukoto MP.
In 1990, President Museveni appointed Ssendaula deputy minister of Commerce and Co-operatives under Mr.Richard Kaijuka with whom too was a Banker. In 1996, he was promoted full minister for Natural Resources.[4] At the beginning of 1998, Ssendaula became Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, a position he held until his retirement in 2005.
He joined politics representing the Democratic Party where he was the Member of Parliament for Bukoto consituency then the largest constituency in Uganda from 1980 - 1985 which was split into, Bukoto Central, Bukoto South, Bukoto Mid West later remaining as the MP for Bukoto South in then Masaka District.
He was elected on a Democratic Party ticket switching to the political setting, NRM - Movement. He continued to become a Cabinet Minister in the Museveni Government as the Deputy Minister of Commerce and Cooperatives, which Ministry was was changed and Named Ministry of Trade and Industries from 1991- 1996. He rose to full Minister as the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment from 1996–1998, where he was transferred to The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development[5] as its head through 1998-2005, where he retired from active politics.
His currently a Farmer based in Masaka, part time World Bank Consultant, Private Businesses like Hotel as a partner with "Madera" of Kampala, and Coffee Dealer, Board Chairman to Government Organisations like - Uganda Revenue Authority, Tropical Bank, NUCAFE -Coffee group married with children[6] and Grandchildren, some of them are now based outside Uganda. He was married to Mrs. Grace Tereza Nabatanzi Ssendaula [7] the daughter to Paul Ssemogerere Kawanga the bigwig for Democratic Party who unfortunately too died in USA.