Former Minister of Works and Transport in Uganda, Monica Azuba, has passed away, Daily Star has learned. Details surrounding her death remain scanty.
Azuba, a respected Ugandan engineer and public servant, was appointed Minister of Works and Transport on June 6, 2016, replacing John Byabagambi, who was moved to the Ministry for Karamoja Affairs. She later left the Cabinet on December 14, 2019, when she was succeeded by Katumba Wamala.
Born in the Busoga sub-region in Eastern Uganda around 1954, Azuba pursued her early education at Gayaza High School, where she completed both her O-Level and A-Level studies in 1973. She later joined Makerere University in 1974, graduating in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.
Following her graduation, she began her professional career at Uganda Commercial Bank. When the bank was acquired by Standard Bank in 2002, she remained with the institution, eventually rising to the position of Facilities Manager at Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited.
Azuba also served on the board of the Uganda National Roads Authority from June 2014 before her appointment to Cabinet in 2016.
During her tenure as minister, one of her key assignments was to oversee the evaluation and eventual revival of Uganda Airlines, which had been liquidated in 2001 after being declared unprofitable. In 2013, the government resolved to revive the national carrier to boost tourism and support increasing passenger and cargo traffic, particularly in light of Uganda’s growing petrochemical industry.
Under her leadership, a multi-stakeholder team comprising representatives from the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda Development Corporation, the Civil Aviation Authority of Uganda, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, among others, convened to deliberate on the revival plan.
Their recommendations were subsequently submitted to Cabinet for final approval prior to implementation.
