Nsibambi is one of those Ugandan politicians who crossed straight from the world of academia into government. Without holding any national political office, and having never even stood for any significant political office, he was, in 1996, drafted into cabinet straight from Makerere University where he was the director of the Institute of Social Research.
He served as Minister of Public Service until 1998 when he was appointed Minister of Education and Sports, and had held this portfolio for just a year when he was elevated to the position of Prime Minister, effectively becoming Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
There is glowing tribute to Uganda’s longest-serving prime minister, Prof Apolo Robin Nsibambi. Nsibambi who served as prime minister from 1999 until 2011, died at his home in Rubaga division on Tuesday evening.
President Yoweri Museveni said on Twitter; “I have learnt of the untimely passing of the former prime minister, Prof Apolo Nsibambi. He was a true patriot and great academic. The country will miss him.”
Museveni’s message said he had instructed current prime minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda to lead a team that will ensure that Nsibambi gets a befitting send-off.
Life of pro. Apolo Nsimbambi 1940-2019
The late Nsibambi was born on October 25, 1940. He attended King’s College Budo for his high school education and held a Bachelor of Science degree in economics with honors from the Makerere University under London University.
He also held a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of Chicago in the United States. His Doctor of Philosophy degree was obtained from the University of Nairobi. Professor Nsibambi was married to the late Rhoda Nsibambi who died at 62. He later married Esther Nakiboneka Kabuuza in 2003 with whom he has been living until his demise.
He was a father of four daughters and grandfather to several grandchildren and Upon retirement from government, he said he was falling back to a life of research, writing, playing the piano and attending to his farm and has died at the age of 78 , believed to have been batling with age related illnesses and its alledged that he has been battling leukemia however the cause of his death is not yet established.
Nsibambi is the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister, having occupied the office for 12 years, from April 1999 to May 2011. Some have argued that he is also the most remarkable embodiment of the Prime Minister’s Office in Uganda’s history, considering that the similarly named office that Obote occupied was different (equivalent to head-of-state) and was scrapped in 1966, while the late Dr. Samson Kiseka’s most remarkable tenure was as Vice-President.