Details have emerged as to why President Yoweri Museveni who is also the Commander in Chief (C-I-C) of Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), chose Jinja based Journalist Lukooki John Magezi to join his office as Resident District Commissioners (RDC).
In the Wednesday, March 23, 2022 reshuffle in which Magezi was deployed in Ngora District as a Deputy RDC, Museveni appointed senior Presidential advisors, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), RDC Secretariat Commissioners, Resident City Commissioners, Deputy Resident District Commissioners and Deputy Resident City Commissioners.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Farouk Kirunda, the deputy press secretary to the president said the appointments take immediate effect.
“H.E the President in exercise of his Constitutional mandate has appointed the following persons as Senior Presidential Advisors, RDC Secretariat Commissioners, Resident District Commissioners, Resident City Commissioners, Deputy Resident District Commissioners and Deputy Resident City Commissioners,” reads the statement.
Magezi, who will deputize Ekoom John Stephen, has been a manager at the Jinja based 88.6 Kiira FM where he previously worked as Talk Show Host.
For the last ten years, Magezi, an outspoken Journalist and Emcee has worked in various Media companies including being an administrator, assistant manager, News Editor and programme’s director at the Lubaga based Bamboo FM before it was sold to a Kampala Pastor.
He is among the Top National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilisers whose efforts are evident in the Victory of their Party Chairman, also President of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni.
‘’He is a good mobiliser and his appointment as an RDC was inevitable. The appointing authority understands he will mobilize Ugandans wherever he will be to embrace government programs ,promote unity and Peace as pillars of delivering Uganda to a middle class income state’’, commented one of the MPs from Busoga after Lukooki’s appointment.
The ‘ever smart’ NRM Young Turk as referred to by many around Busoga, became more vibrant ahead of 2021 general elections when he led a group that launched the Museveni sole candidature campaign . He also vigorously spearheaded Kadaga’s Campaigns for both Parliamentary and speakership races.
Eventually, Magezi and other ‘NRM Patriots’ were appointed to the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), NRM-Kyambogo, then headed by Milly Babalanda and Kirunda Farouk. Today, Babalanda is the Minister for the Presidency while Kirunda is President Yoweri Museveni’s deputy press secretary.
‘’With that strong-minded leadership, the team worked tirelessly to remind Ugandans the country’s achievements under NRM which among others include; Peace and security, infrastructure development, women and youth empowerment, improvement in healthcare, Education and transport. They also used Media platforms to emphasize the growth of the economy, regional integration which provides a market to our goods among other achievements. These grounds boosted Mzee’s popularity and the party at large’’, another resident told this reporter.
Prior to his stretched Journalism and Political career, Magezi was a professional teacher who taught both in private and government institutions.
Between 2005 -2019, taught in Gwase Primary School Buyende District, before joining Kirimwa Catholic Primary School and Kitayunjwa Primary School both located in Kamuli District. He also taught in various schools in Busedde and Jinja Rural before actively joining private business.
Born on 19th December 1984 at Namisambya ,Kamuli District , Lukooki attended Buyengo Primary school(Jinja) for his Primary Leaving Examination(PLE) before joining Busaana Secondary school
He later enrolled at Kyambogo University for Education to become a professional teacher.
Other Responsibilities he held since 2014-todate include being; Publicity Secretary for Busoga Media Link, an umbrella body for Busoga Journalists.
He is the Vice Chairperson Eastern Media Voice Association and a serving member of Uganda Journalist Union (UJU) and Busoga Media Network (BMN)
He also served as Deputy Country Director- Nile Living Water, Director Magezi Foundation, Publicity secretary LICAM-Uganda, Press and Media Manager- Walking with Children Foundation.
He also a Director at JELUMA Medical Centre, Managing Director Good Care Primary School and the Executive Director Jeluma Junior School
Sources told this reporter that as ruling NRM embarks on empowering and recruiting young Turks, Magezi could not be left out given his exciting reputation, mobilization skills and likable loyalty not only to the party, but a unifying stance he holds among all members of the community where he has worked.
