Irene Muloni


Irene Nafuna Muloni is a Ugandan electrical engineer, businesswoman and politician. She is a Senior Presidential Advisor to Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. She was the Cabinet Minister for Energy and Minerals in the Ugandan Cabinet until December 2019 after serving from 27th May 2011.. In the new cabinet list released after the 2016 national elections, she maintained her position. She served as the elected Member of Parliament for Bulambuli District Women's Representative, from 2011 until 2016. In 2016, she lost her seat to Sarah Nambozo Wekomba, an Independent.

Background and education

She was born on 18 November 1960, in what is known today, as Bulambuli District. She attended Budadiri Girls' Primary School before entering Gayaza High School. In 1982, she entered Makerere University, the oldest university in East Africa, to study Engineering. In 1986, she graduated with an honours Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. Later, she graduated with the degree of Master of Business Administration, from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. She is also a Certified Public-Private Partnership Specialist, accredited by The Institute for Public-Private Partnerships, Inc. and the Water, Engineering and Development Centre of Loughborough University.

Work

From 2002 until 2011, Irene Muloni worked as the Managing Director of the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited, a Ugandan parastatal company, responsible for distribution of electrical power to both commercial and retail customers nationwide. In 2011, she entered elective politics, by successfully contesting for the Bulambuli District Women's Representative in the 9th Ugandan Parliament. On 27 May 2011, she was appointed Minister of Energy & Minerals, by President Yoweri Museveni. She replaced Hilary Onek, who was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs. In the cabinet changes made on 6 June 2016, she maintained her cabinet appointment.