Former vice president Prof. Gilbert Bukenya has today handed over his former office to the newly appointed vice president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi amid tears from his former employees at state house.

Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi

Handing over the office at cabinet library, Bukenya welcomed Ssekandi whom he says is his former school mate where he was in S.2 while Ssekandi was in S.6, saying since he the junior (Bukenya) has done something, the senior Ssekandi will do more.

He took Ssekandi through the role of his office and the kind of work he has done and that still on table, among which included the Upland rice project, poverty alleviation and his skills’ development project which was still ongoing at the time of his disappointment.

He says the Upland rice project started as a joke with journalists baptizing him Rice vice president, saying this project has performed well and has enabled Uganda save over US$90m annually from non-importation of rice.

However, despite his progress in these projects, Bukenya was angry with a decision by state house to remove vehicles that he was using in the skills’ development project and therefore urged the incoming VP to ensure that this program continues.

Meanwhile, his exit was punctuated with lots of tears from among his former employees who said they used to enjoy his love, care, hard work and guidance from Bukenya and therefore pledged to always consult him on any matters as need may arise for further guidance.

In another development, Ssekandi declined to take questions from scribes, saying he needed more time to study the handover report by Bukenya, but he said his coming is not meant to destroy and build, but to sustain and add on the already initiated programs.

By Isaac Senabulya