ERA’s Dr. Wasagali tipped to replace Galiwango in Nairobi

By Nathan Ngobi

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is set to appoint Dr. Wasagali Sarah Kanaabi the current board chairperson of Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) to replace late Dr. Hassan Waswa Galiwango as Uganda’s High Commissioner to Kenya and Seychelles, based in Nairobi.

A highly credible state house source disclosed to The Second Opinion Publications that Dr. Wasagali’s name has been on the top of the profiles that president Museveni has been keenly looking at for possible replacement of late  Dr. Galiwango.

Dr Galiwango was appointed High Commissioner in October 2020 to replace Phibby Otaala, who had left office to contest for a political seat back home in Tororo. However, Ms Otaala protested Galiwango’s appointment and declined to hand over the post, arguing that she had not been recalled.

Dr Galiwango later presented his credentials to then president Uhuru Kenyatta on March 3, 2021.

However, before his appointment as High Commissioner, Dr Galiwango was the longest-serving director of finance and administration at the National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat. He died recently in Nairobi.

Now, as we write this, talks are about who is going to replace him. That is how Dr. Wasagali comes in.

A Bugisu thing

Insiders revealed that Dr. Galiwango’s appointment to Nairobi was a result of power brokerage to bring the slot for Bugisu following a long time political conflict between the Wanyoto and Galiwango families.

“Now that the slot is for Bugisu, the president has been sending his trusted members to Bugisu to carry out research on names of possible replacement of Galiwango in Nairobi and most people returned to the president with Dr. Wasagali’s name,” A source privy to the matter  intimated to The Second Opinion Publications.

President Yoweri Museveni as usual would get to Teso to throw his NRM campaign weight to Philip Ouchor for the Serere county by election following the demise of Bishop Hon. Patrick Okabe. However, speculations were so high that the president might appoint Emmanuel Omoding the independent candidate and son to late MP Patrick Okabe to replace Dr. Galiwango as the new Uganda’s High commissioner to Nairobi Kenya.

The speculations caused high stakes of mixed reaction mainly on social media platforms in Bugisu claiming that the slot for Kenya High commission was negotiated for Bugisu and that Teso has a lot to share from the national cake. Currently, Teso has Vice President, NRN National Vice Chairperson – Eastern and Speaker of Parliament slots.

Dr. Wasagali hails from Buhugu  Mutufu in Sironko district and is a mother of 8 and is married to Kanaabi in Busoga.

She is down to earth, non-corruptible and a former  NRM secretary women’s league. Currently, she chairs the board of a thriving government agency – ERA on top of lecturing at Islamic University in Uganda Mbale (full time) and Makerere University.

Dr. Wasagali boasts of experience in research, System Monitoring, Report Writing, Strategic Leadership, and Regulations. These are backed by a strong education professional with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) focused in Economics from Makerere University.

Dr. Wasagali is also a Member of the National Citizenship and Immigration Control Board.

Besides economics, Dr. Wasagali is a facilitator for strategy, Board management, Leadership, policy, Gender, Enterprise Risk management and Regulation.

She walks and talks Transparency, Accountability, Teamwork, professionalism and integrity.