Anita Rukundo Tayebwa, the wife of outgoing Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, has been appointed as Honorary Consul of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Uganda, with her consular office to be based in Kampala.
The appointment was first reported by NTV Uganda on Tuesday, drawing attention within diplomatic and political circles in Uganda.
Honorary consuls are typically appointed to promote diplomatic, economic, tourism and cultural relations between countries while also supporting citizens and consular services in areas where a country may not maintain a full embassy.
According to diplomatic practice, honorary consuls are usually prominent business leaders, professionals or public figures with strong local and international networks capable of advancing bilateral cooperation.
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, an island nation in the Caribbean, maintains diplomatic relations with several African countries through honorary consular representations and non-resident diplomatic missions.
Although details regarding the scope of Anita Rukundo Tayebwa’s responsibilities were not immediately disclosed, her role is expected to involve promoting trade, investment, tourism and bilateral engagement between Uganda and The Bahamas.
Her appointment comes at a politically significant moment as her husband, Thomas Tayebwa, seeks to retain the position of Deputy Speaker in Uganda’s 12th Parliament following endorsements from senior ruling party figures and allies of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
On Monday, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly endorsed Tayebwa for re-election as Deputy Speaker, saying PLU-aligned Members of Parliament would back his candidacy after guidance from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Tayebwa later thanked both Muhoozi and President Museveni for the support and pledged to work closely with leading Speakership contender Jacob Oboth-Oboth ahead of the May 25 parliamentary leadership elections.
The appointment of Anita Rukundo Tayebwa has already generated discussion online, with supporters congratulating her on the diplomatic role while others linked the development to the broader political visibility of the Tayebwa family within Uganda’s leadership circles.
Uganda hosts several honorary consuls representing countries that do not maintain full diplomatic embassies in Kampala, with the honorary offices often serving as channels for business and cultural cooperation.
