New Bank of Uganda Governor impersonated

Dr Michael Atingi-Ego, the newly appointed Governor of the Bank of Uganda, has been impersonated on X, the central bank has warned in a statement.

"PLEASE NOTE: The account - @Michaelatingi - is a parody account and is not associated with Mr Michael Atingi-Ego, the Governor-designate of the Bank of Uganda. This account does not speak for the Governor or the institution," the statement reads.

The bank further clarified that "Mr Michael Atingi-Ego is not active on X, and any official communication from him or his office on this platform is through the official Bank of Uganda X account."

Dr Atingi-Ego was appointed Governor on February 10, replacing Prof Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, who passed away in January 2022. Atingi-Ego, who had served as Deputy Governor since March 2020, had been acting in the Governor’s role since Mutebile’s death.

Alongside him, Professor Augustus Nuwagaba has been appointed Deputy Governor. Both officials were vetted by Parliament today in the presence of Speaker Anitah Among.

Atingi-Ego was first appointed Deputy Governor on March 29, 2020, leaving his role as Executive Director of the Macroeconomics and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa (MEFMI) in Harare, Zimbabwe.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Makerere University, a Master of Arts in Economics from Cardiff Business School, UK, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from the University of Liverpool, UK.

Atingi-Ego began his career at the Bank of Uganda, rising through the ranks to become Executive Director of Research. In 2008, he joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as Deputy Director of the African Department in Washington, DC. By September 2018, he had assumed the role of Executive Director at MEFMI.Following parliamentary vetting, he replaced Louis Kasekende, whose 10-year tenure at the central bank ended in January 2020.

Atingi-Ego brings extensive regional and international experience to his new office. While at the IMF, he played a key role in enhancing capacity development and modernising monetary policy frameworks in developing economies.

In May 2022, African Banker Magazine recognised Atingi-Ego as "Central Bank Governor of the Year", crediting him for his efforts in controlling inflation and maintaining foreign exchange stability in Uganda.