James Wapakhabulo

Who was James Wapakhabulo?

James Francis Wambogo Wapakhabulo was the foreign minister of Uganda from 2001 until his death.

Wapakhabulo began his career studying law at the University of East Africa. From the 1960s until its collapse in 1977, he worked as a clerk and legal draftsman with the Assembly of the East African Community. Later that year, he moved to Papua New Guinea, as first a senior legal draftsman, and then a principal legal officer. He continued in this role until 1986.

Wapakhabulo became involved with the ruling National Resistance Movement. He then stood for Parliament, and between 1994 and 1995 was Chairman of the Constituent Assembly. In 1996, he was promoted to Speaker of Parliament, which he held until 1998. In 1998, he was appointed as the National Political Commissar in Uganda's no-party political system until 2001 when he became Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He held both these positions until his death.

In his time as foreign minister, he helped contain a conflict with Rwanda, and soothed relations with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Sudan.