Museveni ex-minister Nyombi Thembo bounces back as UCC boss

KAMPALA: The former minister of state for ICT, George William Nyombi Thembo, has bounced back to the limelight after being appointed Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).

Outgoing ED Irene Kaggwa announced that, “I wish to update you that Hon. George William Nyombi Thembo has been appointed as the substantive Executive Director of UCC.”

“Join me in congratulating him on his appointment. On my part, it has been an honour to serve UCC, the sector, my country and the global industry,” Eng. Kaggwa added.

According to UCC, Thembo has been working as the Director for the Rural Development Communication Fund (RCDF) at the communications regulating body.

“He assumed that office in January 2017. In addition to his substantive position, Hon. Nyombi Thembo is currently Ag. Director Industry Affairs and Content Development,” UCC mentions on official website.

Profile (from UCC website)

Hon. Nyombi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Makerere University and a Master of Science in Development Economics from Uganda Martyrs University (UMU). He also holds a diploma in project planning and management (Bradford University, UK) and a post-graduate diploma in financial management (UMU).

Hon. Nyombi was born on July 31, 1964 in Kassanda, Singo County, in present-day Mubende District. Married with children, Hon. Nyombi is a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement party.

Among others, Hon. Nyombi worked as an analyst, planning officer and senior planning officer for the then Uganda Railways Corporation during the 1990s and as a Project Manager for Transport Rehabilitation Project (Railway Component), at Kampala City Council (1995-2001), when he joined politics.

Hon. Nyombi was elected to the Ugandan Parliament in 2001, representing his home constituency of Kassanda County South in Mubende District for over a decade (2001-2015). He has also held a number of posts in the Ugandan Cabinet: State Minister for primary education in the Ministry of Education and Sports (2001-2009), State Minister for Luweero Triangle in the Office of the Prime Minister (2009-2011) and then as State Minister for Information and Communications Technology (2011-15).