The former State Minister for the Elderly and the Disabled in the Ugandan Cabinet, Sulaiman Kyebakoze Madada, has revealed that popularizing the removal of presidential term limits marked his toughest assignment in President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
In 2005 Parliament of Uganda amended the constitution to remove presidential term limits, giving leeway for Mr. Museveni who was serving his second and last term to contest for the presidency.
In an exclusive interview, Madada said at the time he was the secretary of the first National Resistance Movement (NRM) caucus which initiated the expunging of term limits in 2005.
“It was hard for me to convince fellow legislators to have term limits removed. We faced a lot of resistance from fellow MPs, voters and organizations but the idea went through,” he said.
The decision to remove presidential term limits was initiated during National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs meeting which was held at National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi in 2003. Each MP was later given Shs5 million as facilitation to consult their voters about the constitutional amendment.
He said in the next election in 2006, he came unopposed and he was appointed Minister for the Elderly and the Disabled.
Political journey
Before Kayunga district was carved out of the greater Mukono district, Madada was a district councilor, an office he held for three terms from 1989. Madada had a political background in his life. At his ‘A’ level, Madada was the president of the National Unions of students of Uganda.
After serving three terms as a district Councilor, Madada had known many things including challenges in Local governments; however, there were limited chances in terms of changing policies. Therefore one of my aims was to influence national issues and see how they can impact on some aspects of life.
“When Kayunga was carved out of Mukono, I was the first vice chairperson (interim) of the district local council. I decided to contest for the Bbaale parliamentary seat in 2001. I contested against Dr. James Makumbi and I won the election.” he said.
He sought another term in 2006 where he came unopposed.
“My appointment came as a surprise because I had no particular political influence before but in the first parliament, I was Chairperson of the Young Parliamentary Association (YPA) succeeding Geofrey Ekanya.” he said
In 2005, the government appointed a committee of 20 people within and outside parliament to pave the way for the introduction of multiparty politics. The committee was chaired by Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, and deputized by Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, with Madada as a member.
Madada said he was the secretary of the first National Resistance Movement (NRM) caucus which initiated the expunging of term limits in 2005. From that time, he said he had seen the inside of Uganda’s politics.
From that time Madada had so much influence that President Yoweri Museveni appointed him the State Minister for the Elderly and the Disabled a position he held till 2016.
“The cabinet at that time was pretty good but some ministries had a lot of challenges and it is only the ministers with good lobby skills got some of the government projects to their respective constituencies and ministries,” he said
He bragged of initiating a national policy for older persons which was launched in 2009. When he was appointed minister, Madada said there was an association dubbed Uganda Reach the Aged Association which was chaired by Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.
Madada said his biggest challenge was the idea of a senior citizen grant. “It was a hard battle to convince my colleagues in the cabinet. The policy was finally accepted after benching in a number of countries where it had worked. The program was first rolled out in Kaberamaido, Kiboga and Kyankwanzi, later it was extended to six districts and it is now a national program that has not attracted corruption scandals.”
Madada said one of the toughest assignments was amending the constitution, to remove term limits. “I was the secretary for the committee that initiated the removal of term limits. I was among others charged with the responsibility of mobilizing other legislators to back the idea. There was a real debate and we at times wanted to drop it. There was a lot of pressure from the community and other organizations.”
Beating his competitors
While at the district council, Madada said people felt his services on the ground. In his first term, as the MP of Bbaale Constituency, he performed exceedingly well and it was difficult for his competitors to beat him because he was always on the ground.
With a background in media, Madada said he had a lot of articulations on radio programs and would explain and defend government programs whenever he was called upon. I would not lie in the campaigns because I knew that would bring me down.
Education
The former minister said he worked closely with responsible authorities to improve the learning conditions of students in the district. He worked with the former Bishop Eria Paul Luzinda Kizito to see that a number of Church of Uganda schools which Included Kitatya Secondary school get center numbers and aid from the government.
“I contributed to putting up girls’ hostels, Teachers’ quarters and another fundraising at Bugoma primary in Kayonza sub-county, Lukonda Primary School, St. Kalemba SS and others.”
He started Madada Foundation in 2012, a non-profit organization. Under the organization, he organizes annual skilling camps. During the camp, over 400 youths meet all sorts of leaders from the country.
Under the foundation, Madada said he started BEMCO Kindergarten at Nakaliro in Kayunga Town Council, BEMCO Infant School at Kitatya B in Kitimbwa Sub County and BEMCO Vocational and Technical Institute at Kitatya B.
With the help of the Institute of rural education and development based in Canada; the they built Aziz Dedha resource center training nursery teachers of early childhood education. The institute is affiliated with Kyambogo and Makerere Universities.
Health
Madada said was part and partial of extending health services to the people of Bbaale constituency. During his reign, he said Kitimbwa Sub-county had two health centers II which was not allowed as per the government policy at that time but with his influence, he initiated the establishment of Nkokonjeru Health center II.
Ntimba Health Center III was established as a result of Minister Jim Muhwezi when he was still a minister for health. Crossing to Ntimba we use boats so he witnessed a woman dying on her way to the health facility and ordered for establishment of Ntimba health Center III.
He organized annual health camps where people were accorded free hearing impairments, optical services and others.
Land grabbing
The former minister applauded Kayunga district woman MP Ida Erio Nantaba for the fight against land grabbing. Prior to Nataba’s fights, Madada said he had started an effort of mobilizing people to get land titles by negotiating with their landlord.
“The people of Namatala got titles at the time when Nantaba was a minister but I had initiated that program with Dr. Kefa Sempangi and we had written to the president asking him to buy land for them,”
“In Namirembe village, I took Dr. Kasirivu Atwooki and other colleagues and land were bought for over 600 people who were supposed to be evicted.” He said
He recounted his encounter with the former Minister of Security Gen. Henry Tumukunde when brought the state minister for lands Baguma Isoke in Mugongo to the contested land in Mugongo. The said land was contested by the Tumukunde and its residents.
“We thereafter met at Radio Simba and the fracas continued. Had I known that Tumukunde was to appear for that show I wouldn’t have gone,”
Roads
“Under Community Agricultural Infrastructure Projects, Kayunga is one of the districts which benefited when I was in the cabinet. Many roads were upgraded under that project and hence mobility in the district,”
“Kyerima- Bulawula Road was a community road and when I became minister I took it to the district. Even upgrading a road people may not know that you initiated it.”
Normally People complain about Kayunga- Galiraya road but when did it first appear in the NRM Manifesto for upgrading and tarmac.
“So people may not be aware that even appearing in the manifesto was brought by me so if it first appeared in 2006 and I hope the government will tarmac it. Designing and other processes have been done. You would not go to Kawongo without using a boat but with the former works Minister Eng. John Nasasira the road was upgraded that so there is no need of using boats.” he said
Madada foundation
The Foundation has not only been doing community empowerment but into the coffee value chain. Even when he stopped being an MP, they had Private Sector Foundation funding when we skilled people in the coffee value chain.
“I have a coffee nursery bed approved by Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and I have distributed over 23 million seedlings to the people of Kayunga.”
He started Bugerere farmers and cooperative society and Signed MoU with the National Union of coffee and Agro Businesses Uganda.
“I have a number of schools. We started a five-year strategic plan on promoting child-integrated services, quality education, health, food and nutrition. We signed an MoU with the CAO and district LCV chairperson to implement it in the next five years. I am trying to promote it”
Waking up when he is not in the cabinet
After the announcement of Kumama Nsamba George Wilson, Madada said he woke up and he could not believe that he is not an MP or a minister.
“I later felt that one has to serve and leave. I feel very happy that I have served my time and I am now serving in different capacities and people still feel my presence.”
The former minister said the number of calls he receives is drastically reduced and he receives minimal numbers because of the few activities he runs under the Madada foundation.
“I receive few invitations as a guest of honor and parties. I am still moving on but I ceased being a national leader. I was recently elected chairperson of the National Private Schools Association. So that is what keeps me busy.”
He discarded all claims that he intends to contest in the 2026 parliamentary elections because he wants to help others to pursue their political ambitions.
