Uganda’s leading opposition political party the National Unity Platform (NUP) spokesperson who doubles as the Nakawa West legislator hon Joel Basekeezi Ssenyonyi is Whisper Eye’s personality of the Month.
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Mp Ssenyonyi was born on 20th December 1986, at Mulago Hospital, to Joseph Basekezi Ssenyonyi and Nankunda Ssenyonyi.
He is a veteran Journalist who was working as a news anchor at NTV, a position he used to become more popular in Uganda, and when the former MP for Kyadondo East Mr. Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert formed the People Power Movement In 2018, he appointed him as the spokesperson even when the movement turned into a political party: NUP Mr. Ssenyonyi retained his position.
He participated in the opposition demonstration campaign over social media and mobile money tax, a campaign that introduced him to the political scene in Uganda.
Hon Ssenyonyi is also the chairperson of the Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) committee which position he has used to ground himself firm in Uganda’s politics in the 11th parliament.
In the recent Uganda Airlines saga over the appointment of Jennifer Bamuturaki as chief executive officer of Uganda Airlines, Mr. Ssenyonyi has convinced many Ugandans that he is a leader.
During the recent COSASE Committee, Mr. Ssenyonyi directed the Uganda Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Bamuturaki, to sort out the discrepancies surrounding her name.
Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, the committee chairperson, gave Bamuturaki an ultimatum of two weeks to ensure that she rectifies inconsistencies surrounding her name.
Education Background:
Ssenyonyi attended Kazinda Memorial School from P1 to P5. He then went to Namirembe Infant Primary School, Bakuli, Kampala for two terms before joining Joy Primary School only to end up at Trinity Academy Primary School, Bukoto – Ntinda, where he sat for Primary Leaving Examination in 1999.
He joined St. Lawrence Citizens High School (Kabaka’s Lake Campus) for the ‘O’ level in 2000 and went back for his ‘A’ level offering PEM/A.
Ssenyonyi went to Makerere University for a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics before embarking on a Bachelor of laws (LLB) at the same university.
In 2006 Ssenyonyi worked at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) as a news anchor at the age of 19 during his senior six vacation.
He also hosted political talk shows and in 2011, he quit UBC for gospel radio, Power FM where he hosted a political talk show program called “Fahrenheit” between 11am and 12.30pm, from Monday to Friday.
In 2014, he joined NTV Uganda as a News anchor until recently when he resigned to concentrate on political activism.
In 2011 he wanted to run for the Nakawa MP seat but opted to run for Youth MP (Central) on FDC ticket.
In 2021, he also attempted to run for Kampala Central MP seat but finally settled in Nakawa West after the Electoral Commission (EC) divided Nakawa constituency into two constituencies.
He is also the Executive Director of Joel Ssenyonyi Foundation an organisation he has used to serve the people of Nakawa West.
