Emmanuel Bwayo Wakhweya

Emmanuel Bwayo Wakhweya (25 December 1936 – 11 November 2001) was a Ugandan politician and economist. He was the Ugandan Minister of Finance under Idi Amin from 1971 until his high-profile defection in London in 1975.

Biography Early life and education Emmanuel Bwayo Wakhweya was born in the village of Butiru in Mbale District of Uganda on 25 December 1936. Wakhweya was of Bugisu ethnicity.

Wakhweya began his education at the Bunyinza Primary School, which he graduated from in 1949. He then attended St. Peter's College in Tororo, Uganda, an all boys boarding school that Wakhweya graduated from in 1956. Upon Ugandan independence from the United Kingdom, Wakhweya became the Assistant Secretary to the Treasury in the Milton Obote administration. Wakhweya denounced Idi Amin and cited the chaos in the Idi Amin administration as having a negative effect on the economy He was quoted as saying "It's hell to be in Uganda. I can't imagine how the ordinary people are still able to carry on because of the shortages of the simplest essentials of life and the soaring cost of living. Uganda is facing economic catastrophe. Either the economic forces will compel Amin to change his policies or there will be an explosion in the country because of popular discontent." Wakhweya later sent a telegram to Idi Amin at the end of the week officially announcing his resignation and exile from Uganda.

Wakhweya was succeeded as Finance Minister by Moses Ali.

Post-defection career Following his defection in London, Wakhweya migrated to Washington DC, where he began a life in exile in the United States.

Personal life Wakhweya married Christine Namataka on 11 March 1961. They had one daughter, Dr. Angela Maria Wakhweya, and six sons together, Anthony, Richard, Stephen, Andrew, David and Emmanuel Junior.