By Shivan Tuhirirwe,
KAMPALA
President Museveni has appointed former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya as his senior advisor on environmental and sanitation affairs.
The appointment was announced by the presidential press unit on Wednesday evening, February 28.
“The Presidential Press Unit (PPU) would like to inform the general public that H.E the president of the Republic of Uganda Gen. [Rtd] Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed H.E Prof. Gilbert Bukenya as the senior presidential advisor on environmental and sanitation,” read parts of a statement.
Prof. Bukenya, 75, is a renown politician who served as the legislator for Busiro county and also a former Vice President of Uganda between 2003 and 2011.
He is also known of his advocacy role for environmental conservation when he championed for upland rice growing to counter environmental degradation especially in wetland areas.
The advocacy however received resentments from a section of politicians and some agricultural investors which he said was politicized.
His appointment comes at a time when the president is raising stern warnings against farmers and investors who encroach on wetlands for cultivation and industrialization.
