Former Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka has been appointed acting chairperson of the Uganda National Mining Company (UNMC), following changes to the company’s board leadership.

Kiwanuka, who is already a member of the UNMC board, takes up the position with immediate effect following the resignation of board chairperson James Mukasa Ssebugenyi and the termination of vice chairperson James Byagaba’s appointment.

The changes were communicated by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development on September 24, 2026, in a statement signed by Minister Monica Musenero Masanza.

The ministry said the changes were “part of measures to address governance and management challenges affecting UNMC.”

Kiwanuka is expected to lead efforts to strengthen corporate governance at the state-owned mining company and oversee a recovery programme focused on board effectiveness and performance management.

Her appointment comes as Uganda seeks to increase state participation in the mining sector and secure greater economic returns from the country’s mineral resources.

The government has identified mining as a key sector in its Ten-Fold Growth Strategy and expects it to make a leading contribution to economic transformation.

Kiwanuka now assumes leadership of the UNMC board at a time when the company is being called upon to play a greater role in Uganda’s efforts to develop and benefit from its mineral wealth.

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