KAMPALA, Uganda: Newly appointed Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Prof Dr Lawrence Muganga, who built a reputation as one of the country’s most outspoken education reformists, motivational speakers and academic administrators, has now crossed into frontline politics in President Museveni’s new 2026–2031 Cabinet.
Muganga’s appointment marks a significant transition for a man better known for transforming university education, championing digital learning and engaging in national debates on innovation, leadership and youth empowerment.
Who is Muganga?
According to publicly available biographical records, Lawrence Muganga was born in Mukono District and later grew up in Masaka District.
He attended Mende Kalema Secondary School for O-Level before joining St Charles Lwanga Kasasa for A-Level studies. He later enrolled at Makerere University, where he earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in Economics and a Master of Arts in Economic Policy Management.
Muganga later expanded his academic credentials internationally, obtaining a Higher Education Teaching Certification from Harvard University as well as a Master’s degree in Adult Education and a PhD in Educational Administration and Leadership from the University of Alberta in Canada.
He also holds dual Ugandan and Canadian citizenship.
Before becoming one of Uganda’s most recognisable university leaders, Muganga worked across several countries and institutions.
After graduating from Makerere University in 2002, he moved to Rwanda, where he worked as an Internal Auditor at the Rwanda Revenue Authority between 2003 and 2005.
He later worked in Canada as a Project Manager at Edmonton Multicultural Coalition and also served as a Policy Advisor for the Government of Alberta.
His academic and consultancy work later took him to countries including Ethiopia, Finland, Singapore, Sweden, the United States and the Solomon Islands, mainly focusing on education systems, human capital development and leadership transformation.
Muganga’s return to Uganda
Muganga’s public breakthrough in Uganda came in 2020 when he was appointed Vice Chancellor of Victoria University, shortly after returning to his home country.
At the time, the university, which businessman Sudhir Ruparelia had bought off, was still struggling to establish a dominant identity in Uganda’s competitive higher education sector.
Under Muganga’s leadership, Victoria University aggressively repositioned itself through digital learning, experiential education, celebrity partnerships, sports sponsorship and youth-centred branding. The student enrollment grew from fewer than 200 students to more than 6,000 within a few years under his leadership, becoming one of Uganda’s fastest-growing educational institutions.
In 2022, Muganga was the man in the news again, as Victoria University received its charter from the Uganda National Council for Higher Education, an achievement the institution partly credited to reforms introduced under his tenure.
Beyond university administration, Muganga became widely known through his books, leadership talks and education advocacy. He authored several books, including You Can’t Make Fish Climb Trees, Authentic University, and lately, From Chalk to Chatbots.
His writings and public talks focused on “Authentic Learning,” a philosophy advocating for practical education that prepares learners for real-world challenges rather than exam-centred memorisation.
Engagements with Museveni on Reforms
Muganga has in recent years emerged as one of the most visible public advocates for the rights of Uganda’s Banyarwanda, commonly referred to as Abavandimwe, particularly on matters of citizenship, national identification and passport access. Through public engagements and media appearances, he repeatedly argued that many Ugandans of Banyarwanda heritage were unfairly being denied national IDs and passports despite being constitutionally recognised citizens. His activism placed him at the centre of national debates surrounding identity, immigration and citizenship verification systems.
Muganga’s activism became even more pronounced in 2021 following his controversial arrest by security agencies over alleged espionage and immigration-related claims, accusations he strongly denied while insisting he was a legitimate Ugandan citizen. At the time, several supporters linked his troubles to his outspoken stance on Abavandimwe rights and his criticism of the treatment of some Banyarwanda communities by agencies under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including immigration and identification authorities.
In 2021, he generated public debate after openly declaring support for Museveni’s leadership during a media interview, but his growing public profile also came with controversy.
In September that year, he was arrested by Ugandan security agencies over allegations related to espionage and immigration status. He was, however, released days later without charges after public outcry and media attention.
The incident further elevated his public profile nationally.
From Education to Internal Affairs
Muganga now enters one of Uganda’s most sensitive ministries as State Minister for Internal Affairs, replacing Gen David Muhoozi.
His appointment carries deeper political significance beyond a simple Cabinet promotion. The ministry directly supervises immigration, citizenship registration, passport issuance and national identification systems, the same areas where Muganga has previously demanded reforms and fairness.
Political observers say his new role could place him in a strategic position to influence ongoing debates around citizenship verification, documentation processes and access to national identity services in Uganda.
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