Samantha Muhwezi Kassami, daughter to security minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Jim Muhwezi, is the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC).
Established under Section 42 of the 2013 Petroleum (Exploration, Development, and Production) Act and Section 7 of the 2013 Petroleum (Refining, Conversion, Transmission and Midstream Storage) Act, Unoc is responsible for the management of Uganda’s oil sector interest with focus on sustainable exploitation of the country’s commercially viable oil resources.
Samantha Muhwezi has already started work as the UNOC COO. Her role, one of the topmost at the government company, will see the minister’s daughter supervise units such as Technical Services Department, National Content Department, Health and Safety Department, as well as Supply Chain and IT Department.
As Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be in charge of daily operations at UNOC.
Samantha Muhwezi has an enviable education profile. Her professional experience and academic profile saw her beat other applicants that had hoped to take up the COO job at UNOC.
A holder of a Bachelor of Laws from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a Postgraduate Diploma as well as a Master of Laws from BPP University London UK, Samantha Muhwezi is a member of The Law Society (Law society of England and Whales).
Samantha Muhwezi was previously associated with Linklaters LLP, one of the five Magic Circle law firm reputed for their corporate and financial expertise.
The minister’s daughter is not new in the Ugandan oil story. She has previously worked with French firm TotalEnergies S.E. where she was a member of a select team responsible for negotiations regarding the oil pipeline project.
Samantha Muhwezi’s appointment comes as UNOC faces allegations of tribalism after one region was seen dominating the government-owned company’s list of phenomenal women shaping oil & gas sector. (See Details Here).
Minister Jim Muhwezi, Samantha’s father, is an MP representing Rujumbura County. He bounced back to Parliament after some years of braving the political cold – out of both Parliament and Cabinet.
As security minister, Muhwezi was months ago in the spotlight over a multi-billion digital number plates contract given to a controversial Russian company that will reap billions from Ugandan owners of cars and motorcycles. The fight for the juicy deal saw a top general and minister’s hard-hitting letter to Museveni (calling for the cancellation of the contract) reportedly hidden from the president. (Read Details Here, There, and Over There).
Meanwhile, Jim Muhwezi’s wife Susan was months ago in the news over the AGOA deal that the US government cancelled over Uganda’s homosexuality stance. (See Details Here).
