Former Democratic Party president and Kampala Mayor, Dr. John Ssebaana Kizito has passed on. Kizito died this morning at 10:30am at Nakasero Hopital in Kampala, where he had been under observation for weeks, after suffering a stroke.
The news of his death was confirmed by DP President Norbert Mao, after social media announced him dead several times in the last two weeks.
Doctors confirmed that Kiizito succumbed to a stroke. They tried to recover his brain in vain.
About Dr. Ssebaana Kizito
Born in 1934, John Ssebaana Kizito was the President of the Democratic Party (DP) in Uganda from 2005 to 2010. Kizito was a member of the University Council of Ndejje University.
He is reported to be one of the wealthiest people in the, having sizable holdings in real estate and insurance. He attended Kings College Budo and is a graduate of Makerere University.
In 1960, Kizito graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Economics from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States.
John Ssebaana Kizito is one of the few veteran politicians in Uganda, with his political career going as far back as pre-independence Uganda. He has therefore surprisingly served and survived as a civil servant and politician in several of Uganda’s eras of tyranny and political turmoil, including under Idi Amin, Milton Obote, and the current Museveni’s National Resistance Movement government.
In 1960, he served as a National Executive Officer. He served as a member of the East African Legislative Assembly, an arm of the East African Community from 1967 until 1977. From 1977 until 1980, he served as the chairman of National Insurance Corporation. In 1980, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Kampala South Constituency, winning 90% of the votes. He was the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1981 until 1985 and was Acting Leader of the Opposition in 1983.
He served as Minister of Cooperatives and Marketing from 1985 until 1987, as Minister of Regional Cooperation from 1987 until 1988 and as Minister of Housing and Urban Development from 1989 until 1991.
He was a member of the Constituent Assembly that drew up the 1995 Ugandan Constitution, serving on the assembly as a member representing Makindye East Constituency. From 1994 to 1995, he served as chairman of the National Caucus of Democracy.
Between 1998 and 2006, he was twice elected as Mayor of Kampala, replacing Nasser Sebaggala in 1999 and being replaced by Nasser Sebaggala in 2006. John Ssebaana Kizito was the Democratic Party's candidate in the 23 February 2006 presidential election.
In 1982, John Ssebaana Kizito, together with a business associate, Joseph William Kiwanuka, established Uganda’s first private (non-government) insurance company, Statewide Insurance Company (SWICO), for which Ssebaana serves as Chairman of the Board and Kiwanuka serves as the Managing Director.
Several politicians have mourned him as a strong politician who remained in his party (DP) despite its failure to earn the presidency of this country.
Nakasekke South MP Semakula Luttamaguzi says Ssebaana is remembered as one of the pioneers of KCC activities seen today. He adds that despite many stumbling blocks, Ssebaana never engaged in street demonstrations, but believed in round table dialogue.
State minister of Education, Rosemary Sseninde described the late Ssebaana as a pillar and a very instrumental person in the development of Uganda who was never antagonistic.
Sseninde says Ssebaana never segregated against other people on political party basis.
Buwheju county MP Mwijukye Francis says his death is a big blow to the country. He says Ssebaana’s death comes at a time when the country is at crossroads, when Uganda needs elders to guide it.
According to the Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Mourning Program will be released after a meeting with family, Buganda Kingdom, and DP.
Lukwago says Ssebaana is a person everyone should emulate, as a leader.
