
Rt Hon. Dr Ruhakana Rugunda was installed as the third Chancellor of Gulu University in February 2023 by the Vice President of Uganda, HE Jessica Alupo.
Prior to this, Dr Rugunda had served as 10th Prime Minister of Uganda from September 2014 to May 2021.
In a political career spanning several decades, Dr Rugunda held many ministerial posts including Health, Foreign Affairs, Internal Affairs, Information Communications Technology, Water Lands and Environment, Information, Works, Transport and Communications and The Presidency.
From January 2009 to 2011, Dr. Ruhakana was Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, when the country held a seat at the United Nations Security Council. He held this position at a Ministerial level.
Dr Rugunda has led many Government initiatives, including the Government of Uganda delegation to the Juba- based Peace Talks between the Government and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) from July 2006 to January 2009.
From 1989 to 2001 he represented Kabale Municipality as a Member of Parliament. Prime Minister Rugunda attended Kigezi High School and Busoga College Mwiri, before joining Makerere University and later the University of Zambia where he graduated as a Medical Doctor in 1975.
He also holds a Masters Degree in Public Health specializing in Maternal and Child Health from the University of California, Berkeley, USA (1978). He also studied Paediatrics at the University of Nairobi (1982-1984).
He started his Medical career in Zambia as a Physician, worked at Washington DC General Hospital as a resident physician, and at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Rugunda was keenly involved in student activities and held responsibilities as President of African Students Union, University of California, Berkeley (1977-1978); President of National Union of Students of Uganda (NUSU) (1970-1971) while at Makerere University, and President, Kigezi United Youth Association (KUYA).