Abed Bwanika

Abed Bwanika
Born	(1967-08-01) 1 August 1967 Lwengo District, Uganda
Residence	Kampala, Uganda
Nationality	Ugandan
Ethnicity	Muganda
Citizenship	Uganda
Alma mater	Makerere University (Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine) (Master of Veterinary Science)
Occupation	Veterinarian, Politician, Pastor
Years active	1987 — present
Known for	Politics
Home town	Lwengo
Title	President People's Development Party
Spouse(s)	Gladys Namusuwe PhD

Abed Bwanika (born 1 August 1967), is a Ugandan veterinarian, politician and pastor. He is the current President of the People's Development Party, one of the opposition political parties in Uganda.

Background and education

Bwanika was born on 1 August 1967 in modern-day Lwengo District. At that time the district was still part of Masaka District. He attended Kimwanyu Primary School, near his parents' home in Lwengo District. Later, he studied at Masaka Secondary School for his ‘O’level, and at Kigezi High School for his ‘A’ level. He was admitted to Makerere University, where he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine. Later, he was awarded the degree of Master of Science in the same field, also from Makerere.

Career

Following his first degree, he stayed on at Makerere as a graduate tutor, while he conducted research and pursued a second degree. In 2001, he left teaching and a private veterinary consultancy. He also opened a church, Christian Witness Church.

During the 1996 presidential elections, he supported Yoweri Museveni, but switched allegiance to Kizza Besigye in 2001. He ran as an independent candidate in the February 2006 presidential election, where he finished in fourth place, with 0.95% of the vote (65,874 total votes).

He again contested the 2011 Uganda presidential elections, under the People's Development Party, which he had founded and is the current president. The second-time around, he received about 14,000 less votes (51,708 total votes), garnering 0.65% of the popular vote.

Other responsibilities

Abed Bwanika is married to Gladys Namusuwe, PhD, a Fish Biologist and Lecturer in the Department of Zoology, at Makerere University. They have been married since 1995 and are the parents of three sons: Wise, Chosen and Delight.

See also

• Miria Obote
• Norbert Mao
• Olara Otunnu
• Beti Kamya-Turwomwe

Election results

 Summary of the 23 February 2006 Ugandan presidential election results

Candidates - nominating parties	Votes	%
Yoweri Museveni - National Resistance Movement	4,109,449	59.26
Kizza Besigye - Forum for Democratic Change	2,592,954	37.39
John Ssebaana Kizito - Democratic Party	109,583	1.58
Abed Bwanika - Independent	65,874	0.95
Miria Obote - Uganda People's Congress	57,071	0.82
Total	6,934,931	100.00
Source: New Vision newspaper, Electoral Commission of Uganda

 Summary of the 18 February 2011 Ugandan presidential election results

Candidates – Parties	Votes	%
Yoweri Museveni – National Resistance Movement	5,428,368	68.38
Kizza Besigye – Forum for Democratic Change	2,064,963	26.01
Norbert Mao – Democratic Party	147,917	1.86
Olara Otunnu – Uganda People's Congress	125,059	1.58
Beti Kamya – Uganda Federal Alliance	52,782	0.66
Abed Bwanika – People's Development Party	51,708	0.65
Jaberi Bidandi Ssali – People's Progress Party	34,688	0.44
Samuel Lubega – independent	32,726	0.41
Valid votes	7,938,212	95.96
Invalid votes	334,548	4.04
Total votes (turnout: 59.29%)	8,272,760	100.00
Source: Electoral Commission of Uganda

Succession table as President of the People's Development Party

Preceded by None

President of the People's Development Party 2010 - Present

Succeeded by Incumbent