| Intro | Ugandan politician |
| Is | Politician |
| From | Uganda |
| Type | Politics |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 1 August 1967 |
| Age: | 53 years |
Abed Bwanika (born 1 August 1967) is a Ugandan veterinarian, politician, and pastor. He is the President of the People’s Development Party, an opposition political party in Uganda.
Background and education
Bwanika was born on 1 August 1967 in modern-day Lwengo District. He attended Kimwanyu Primary School, near his parents’ home in Lwengo District. Later, he studied at Masaka Secondary School for his ‘O’ level, and at Kigezi High School for his ‘A’ level. He was admitted to Makerere University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Later, he earned a Master of Science degree in the same field, also from Makerere.
Career
Following his first degree, he stayed on at Makerere as a graduate tutor, while he conducted research and pursued a second degree. In 2001, he left teaching and a private veterinary consultancy. He also opened a church, Christian Witness Church.
During the 1996 presidential elections, he supported Yoweri Museveni but switched allegiance to Kizza Besigye in 2001. He ran as an independent candidate in the February 2006 presidential election, where he finished in fourth place, with 0.95 percent of the vote (65,874 total votes).
He again contested the February 2011 presidential elections as the candidate of the People’s Development Party, which he founded; he is also the party’s president. The second-time around, he received about 14,000 fewer votes (51,708 total votes), garnering 0.65 percent of the popular vote.
Personal life
Bwanika is married to Gladys Namusuwe, a fish biologist and lecturer in the Department of Zoology at Makerere University. They have been married since 1995 and are the parents of three sons: Wise, Chosen, and Delight.
Election results
| Candidates – nominating parties | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yoweri Museveni – National Resistance Movement | 4,109,449 | 59.26 |
| Kizza Besigye – Forum for Democratic Change | 2,592,954 | 37.39 |
| John Ssebaana Kizito – Democratic Party | 109,583 | 1.58 |
| Abed Bwanika – Independent | 65,874 | 0.95 |
| Miria Obote – Uganda People’s Congress | 57,071 | 0.82 |
| Total | 6,934,931 | 100.00 |
| Source: New Vision newspaper, Electoral Commission of Uganda | ||
| Candidates – Parties | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yoweri Museveni – National Resistance Movement | 5,428,368 | 68.38 |
| Kizza Besigye – Forum for Democratic Change | 2,064,963 | 26.01 |
| Norbert Mao – Democratic Party | 147,917 | 1.86 |
| Olara Otunnu – Uganda People’s Congress | 125,059 | 1.58 |
| Beti Kamya – Uganda Federal Alliance | 52,782 | 0.66 |
| Abed Bwanika – People’s Development Party | 51,708 | 0.65 |
| Jaberi Bidandi Ssali – People’s Progress Party | 34,688 | 0.44 |
| Samuel Lubega – independent | 32,726 | 0.41 |
| Valid votes | 7,938,212 | 95.96 |
| Invalid votes | 334,548 | 4.04 |
| Total votes (turnout: 59.29%) | 8,272,760 | 100.00 |
| Source: Electoral Commission of Uganda | ||