Norbert Mao

Campaign poster for DP presidential candidate Norbert Mao. Designed by Samson Mwaka for the February 2011 issue of the Kampala Dispatch Magazine.

Norbert Mao
Mao in 2017
Born (1967-03-12) 12 March 1967 (age 57)
Uganda
NationalityUgandan
CitizenshipUganda
Alma materMakerere University
(Bachelor of Laws)
Law Development Centre
(Diploma in Legal Practice)
Yale University
(International Fellowship)
Occupation(s)Lawyer and politician
Years active1996–present
Known forPolitics
Spouse(s)Naomi Achieng (2003-2019)
Beatrice Kayanja (2024-present)

Norbert Mao is a Ugandan political activist and lawyer. He has been president of the Democratic Party since 2010,[1] three time presidential candidate and served as the Local Council 5 chairman for Gulu District. He is the current minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs in the Ugandan government,[2] an office he assumed on 21 July 2022. He was appointed to this position by Yoweri Museveni, the president of the Republic of Uganda.[3][2] The appointment drew immense criticism from the Democratic Party, an opposition party he is currently serving as president.[2] It was seen as a move by President Museveni to tame the Party and clip its wings to criticize his government.

Early life and education

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Mao was born on 12 March 1967. His father, Dusman Okee Sr. (5 January 1942 – 3 January 2016), was Acholi[4][5] and his mother was a Munyankole. Mao attended Mwiri Primary School in Jinja and briefly went to Wairaka College in Jinja District before attending Namilyango College, a prestigious all-boys boarding high school in Mukono District from 1982 until 1988. He then attended Makerere University from 1988 until 1991, graduating with a law degree. He served as the president of the Makerere University Students Guild between 1990 and 1991. He went on to obtain the Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center in 1992. In 2003, Mao was admitted to Yale University, under the Yale World Fellows Program, where he spent one year at the New Haven, Connecticut campus.[6]

Career

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Norbert Mao
Norbert Mao

From 1992 until 1994, Mao worked as an associate attorney in the offices of Kabugo and Company Advocates, a Kampala-based law firm. Between 1994 and 1996, he worked as a legal counsel for the Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society in their Gulu office.[7] In 1996, he was elected to the Parliament of Uganda, representing Gulu Municipality. While in parliament, he served on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Public Accounts Committee. He resigned from Parliament in 2006 and was elected chairman of Gulu District.[7]

Mao is chairman of the East African chapter of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and member of its secretariat.[6] Also, he helped found the Great Lakes Parliamentary Forum on Peace (AMANI Forum). He was instrumental in trying to bridge the gap between the Lord's Resistance Army rebels and the Ugandan government by lobbying for the passage of a general amnesty law aimed at bringing a peaceful resolution to armed conflict in northern Uganda.[8][9] He belongs to the Democratic Party[2] and publicly indicated his intention to contest the 2011 Ugandan presidential elections, either as the nominee of his party or if not nominated on the party ticket, as an independent. He was elected as President of the Democratic Party on 20 February 2010 and ran for President of Uganda in the 2011 general election.[10] The DP faced a lot of challenges that led to a split and deep polarization at the height of the election. He attracted only a small share of the vote, and President Yoweri Museveni was elected to another term. Mao and Inter Party Coalition presidential candidates Kizza Besigye and Olara Otunnu, among others, protested the election results in spite of its early approval by international observers and the United States as largely free and fair.[11]

On 21 November 2020, Mao, along with fellow opposition presidential candidates Bobi Wine, Henry Tumukunde, Mugisha Muntu, and Patrick Amuriat Oboi, agreed to form an alliance.[12]

On 20 July 2022, Mao was appointed Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs by president Museveni in a move that sparked off a debate about his allegiance to the opposition.[2][13] On 28 July 2022, Mao was sworn in at State House Entebbe with President Museveni as the main witness.[14][2]

Personal life

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Mao was married to Naomi Achieng Odongo, and they have two sons together.[10] They divorced on 27 May 2019, after 16 years of marriage.[15] On 1 June 2024 Mao married Beatrice Nambi in Gulu City.[16] He speaks Luo, Luganda, Runyankole, and English fluently.[17] Mao is a step-brother to Daniel Kidega, the former speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Charles Ariko, and Jude Kafuma (22 February 2010). "Uganda: Political Parties React to Mao DP Election". New Vision via AllAfrica.com. Kampala.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "▶️ IN THE WEEK PAST: Mao sworn in as Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister". New Vision. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  3. ^ David Vosh Ajuna (21 July 2021). "Museveni appoints Mao justice minister". Daily Monitor. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  4. ^ Jackson Kitara, and David Lumu (3 January 2016). "Mao's father dies aged 74". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  5. ^ Okuda, Ivan (3 January 2016). "Norbert Mao's father is dead". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b Mao, Norbert (2000). "Norbert Mao's Curriculum Vittae" (PDF). Parlnet.org. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  7. ^ a b Who Is Who in Africa (February 2022). "Who Is Who in Africa: Norbert Mao". Whoiswhoinafrica.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  8. ^ Yale University (5 January 2016). "Meet the World Fellows: Yale University". New Haven, Connecticut, United States: Yale University. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  9. ^ Karen Allen (15 March 2007). "Uganda's war victims live on hope". London: BBC. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  10. ^ a b Sheila Naturinda, and Emmanuel Mulondo (25 October 2010). "2011 UGANDA ELECTIONS: I'm the 'Obama' – Mao". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Uganda election: Yoweri Museveni wins fresh term". London: BBC. 20 February 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  12. ^ "Presidential candidates join forces to deal with police brutality". 21 November 2020.
  13. ^ KFM News
  14. ^ "Norbert Mao Sworn in As Minister For Justice at Entebbe State House | KAB News". 27 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  15. ^ Anthony Wesaka (1 June 2019). "Mao's marriage with Naomi dissolved by court". Daily Monitor. Kampala.
  16. ^ "Justice minister Mao weds Beatrice in Gulu". New Vision. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  17. ^ Michael Ssali (17 January 2011). "I want a new beginning – Mao on the future". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  18. ^ Donald Kiirya (4 January 2016). "Hundreds attend Mao father's funeral". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
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Preceded by President of the Democratic Party
2010 – Present 		Succeeded by
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