By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL:
The Central Bank has joined Ugandans in mourning the demise of the fallen Bank of Uganda Governor, Prof. Emmanuel T Mutebile who died at Nairobi Hospital at the ewe hours of today’s morning.
In a condolence message to the BoU by the Governor of the CentralmBank of Kenya, Dr Patrick Njoroge, Mutebile has during his time help Uganda transition to a market-led economy. Dr. Njoroge has further said that Mutebile served as the Governor of Uganda with distiction during a critical time, and worked together with other regional Central Bank Governors to harmonise policies which led to the implementation of the East African Monetary Union.
“I am deeply saddened by the news this morning of the passing away of Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile. I interacted with the late Governor on numerous occassions since my joining the Central Bank of Kenya in June 2015. I am particularly grateful for his welcoming me into the community of East African Central Bank Governors, and I cannot forget the many courtesies he extended to me.” Dr.Njoroge condoled.
He added, “Pro. Tumusiime served as chair of the Monetary Affairs Committee (MAC) of the East African Community in 2017 and 2018, and ably led our discussions. As the current Chair of MAC, I also extend my heartfelt sympathisies of my fellow Eat African Central Bank Governors. We will miss his wise counsel, experience and gentle humour.”
Prof.Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, has died this Sunday at around 5am, at Nairobi Hospital in Nairobi, kenya where he has been battling illnesses.
He was the longest serving chief executive in the history of Bank of Uganda.
Two weeks ago, he was rushed to Nakaseero hospital for emergency attention after he allegedly collapsed at his home, but, the Central Bank dismissed news of the Governor’s collapse arguing that he had suffered from diabetic complications.
He was later referred to a hospital in Nairobi Kenya, where he has been pronounced dead by family members.
State Minister of ICT, Godfrey Kabyanga tweeted, “I am saddened by the news of the passing on of our gallant Elder Prof. Emmanuel Mutebile who has also been the Governor @BOU-Official, a distinguished scholar and Rotarian,”
He added, “My deepest sympathies to the Board of BOU, its staff, the family and the rotary fraternity,”
Born on January 27, 1949, Mutebile has died at the age of 72, just three days to mark his 73rd Birthday.
He has served as Governor and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank of Uganda since 2001 to date.
He is a professor of economics who spearheaded the design and implementation of the Economic Reform Program that restored Uganda from the economic performance during his service as the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of finance.
He is credited with many of the sound economic policies adopted by the Uganda gov’t at the urging of the Central Bank during the 1990’s and in the first decade of the 2000’s
In 1970, he joined Makerere University, where he was elected the University Guild President, however, his time at the Ivory Tower was never a bed of roses. He was forced to flee Uganda in 1972 after he gave a public speech criticizing the expulsion of Asians from the country by the then President of Uganda, Field Marshal Idi Amini Dada.
He later joined the University of Durham and Oxford University.
He also worked as a consultant for multilateral and regional organizations including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organisation for Economic Coorporation and Development, Macro-Economic and Financial Management Institute of East and Central Africa, UK Department for International Development, the North South Institute in Canada and for the governments of Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Eritrea and Nepal.
He was also a member of the high level panel of the UNDP for the production of the human development report of the UNDP; the management group for overseeing the evaluation of the implementation of the comprehensive development framework of the World Bank in 2001, and the high level panel of eminent persons to advise the president of the African Development Bank (ADB) on the strategic future of the ADB in 2006.
Mutebile holds fellowships of the World Bank institute, and Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
Mutebile was awarded Honorary Professor by Makerere University and a Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by Nkumba University. He was also honored a companion of Commonwealth Partnership for Technology Management (CPTM), and Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) of Bishop Stuart University Mbarara.
Owing to his his academic contributions to Makerere University and in Uganda at large, Makerere University honoured Mutebile with the establishment of Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile Chair of Monetary Policy, Banking and Finance.
