The eight-year tenure of Apolo Robin Nsibambi as Prime Minister of Uganda concluded in May 2011, marking the end of a long career that bridged the divide between academic research and executive government. Born in 1940 within the Uganda Protectorate, he spent decades oscillating between university classrooms and the halls of cabinet power in Kampala.
Academic Foundation
Nsibambi pursued an extensive educational path that spanned three continents. After attending King's College Budo, he earned an honors degree in economics from Makerere University. He continued his studies at the University of London and the University of Chicago, where he obtained a Master of Arts in political science. His academic credentials were finalized with a Doctor of Philosophy degree awarded by the University of Nairobi.
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Teaching at Makerere University beginning in the 1960s, Nsibambi ascended to several internal administrative roles. He served as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences across two terms: 1978 to 1983 and 1985 to 1987. From 1987 to 1990, he led the Department of Political Science. Later, he directed the Makerere Institute of Social Research between 1994 and 1996. Between 2003 and 2007, he held the position of Chancellor of Makerere University, becoming the first non-Head-of-State to occupy that office.
Cabinet and Ministerial Tenure
Nsibambi transitioned into formal government roles during the mid-1990s. He functioned as the Minister of Public Service from 1996 to 1998, followed by a brief stint as the Minister of Education and Sports from 1998 to 1999. In April 1999, he was appointed Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, a position he maintained for twelve years until his successor, Amama Mbabazi, took office in May 2011.
Final Years
A practicing Anglican, Nsibambi was the son of Eva Bakaluba and Semyoni Nsibambi, a figure in the East African Revival movement. He fathered four daughters. Following the 2001 death of his first wife, Rhoda, he married Esther Nsibambi in March 2003. Nsibambi died on 28 May 2019 at the age of 78 in Bulange and was subsequently buried in Buloba.
Fast facts
- Born: 25 October 1940, Uganda Protectorate
- Died: 28 May 2019, Bulange
- Prime Minister of Uganda: 1999–2011
- Education: Makerere University, University of London, University of Chicago, University of Nairobi
- Fellow: Uganda National Academy of Sciences
- Burial site: Buloba
- Religion: Anglicanism
Questions readers ask
What major government posts did Nsibambi hold?
He served as Minister of Public Service, Minister of Education and Sports, and Prime Minister of Uganda.
Was Nsibambi involved in academia?
Yes, he was a long-time faculty member and department head at Makerere University and served as its Chancellor from 2003 to 2007.
Achievements
- Prime Minister of Uganda (1999–2011)
- Educated at Makerere University and University of Chicago
