By Jimmy Siyasa
The Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) has appointed Professor Martin Lwanga as its new Director General and CEO. This is a major milestone for the renowned institution, as it marks the first time a Ugandan has risen to such a high position within the organization.
Professor Lwanga’s appointment has been met with much excitement and congratulations from his former colleagues, students, and the leadership of the Uganda Christian University (UCU) where he has served as an Associate Professor of Management for 11 years. UCU’s Vice Chancellor, Associate Professor Aaron Mushengyezi, stated, “UCU sends out yet another missionary! Congratulations to our member of staff and dear brother, Assoc. Prof. Martin Lwanga. We look forward to building a fruitful UCU-ESAMI partnership.”
Associate Professor Lwanga’s impact on the fields of management consultancy, business development, and Christian leadership in Uganda has not gone unnoticed. His colleagues at UCU speak highly of his dedication, discipline, and loyalty, with lecturer Mr. Richard Ssebaggala saying, “Having Lwanga as a leader is a plus to the institution (ESAMI), although it is already established, his qualities will move it to greater heights.” He takes over from Zambian Professor Bonard Mwappe.
As Dean of the UCU School of Business in 2014, Lwanga quickly established himself as a leading researcher in the field of management and has published numerous articles in top-tier journals, including the African Journal of Business and Law. He has also been invited to speak at conferences and other events around the world and has been the recipient of many awards and grants for his research, including two Uganda Human Resource Managers Association awards for Teaching the Practice of Management.
Lwanga’s career path has been a diverse one, starting with teaching and supervising postgraduate students at Makerere University for two years before quitting to help start a Christian radio station in Uganda, Power FM (104.1), where he served as CEO until 2003. He then took on a role as a Senior Management Consultant at the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) for over a decade before moving on to his position at UCU.
With a Doctor of Business Leadership from the University of South Africa, a Masters in Business Administration from the Maastricht School of Management, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Urban Governance from the Institute of Housing Studies in Rotterdam, and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma, Lwanga is well-equipped to lead ESAMI to even greater heights.
As one of his former students, Opio Desmond Tutu, tweeted, “Congratulations to my former Management Skills lecturer at UMI. one fine and reputable name in Ugandan academic circles. “You are surely up to the task, and best wishes, Prof. Lwanga.”
Background
Lwanga went to Kings College Buddo, from where he attained a Higher Education Certificate to qualify which qualified him for university education. He enrolled at Makerere University (1984) from where he graduated with Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Sociology in 1894.
He is passionate about personal development, good governance and raising Africa’s next generation of leaders: an evident factor in his long, upward career trajectory. Hence his win at Arusha-based ESAMI is unsurprising to those that know the man.
