The Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) elections happened last weekend in which an unexpected candidate, Sarah Kagingo carried the day.
Previously, city PR guru and Uganda Advertising Association (UAA) President, Muhereza Kyamutetera had been taunted as the candidate to beat. He dropped out days before the elections citing “heavy workload elsewhere”
Insiders intimate Kagingo who was in contention for the Secretary General role was then asked to fall-in for the presidency as the preferred candidate, over Umeme’s David Birungi who out-going executive committee considered “harsh and extreme”
PRAU brings together Public Relations and Communications practitioners.The elections to choose the new governing council were held during the PRAU Annual General Meeting at Fairway Hotel in Kampala.
Kagingo garnered 51 votes, while Birungi managed 17 votes. She will be deputized by MTN Uganda’s Communications and Corporate Affairs Manager, Val Oketcho.
Kagingo, who formerly worked at State House as the Special Presidential Assistant in charge of Communications, is credited for digitizing President Museveni’s communications and making the Presidency more interactive through new media.
Kagingo is a PR and communications professional with a big online following. She has often used her social platforms to promote Uganda’s natural beauty as well as all positive aspects of the country. Aside that, she runs SoftPower Communications LLC, a digital communications consultancy agency.
She is also a former guild president of Makerere University.
Among her campaign issues was the need to reach out to more corporations to boost membership, engaging government on statutory recognition for professional service associations, a home for PRAU, accreditation to international bodies and a strong secretariat.
Speaking after the her victorious march, Kagingo athanked the outgoing Governing Council led by Cynthia Mpanga as well as previous councils pointing out that the former President Gorettie Masadde who was in attendance, as well as those before, envisioned excellence. She said she would build on their “much – appreciated” contribution.
The new PRAU Governing Council has the under listed members
President – Sarah Kagingo
Vice President – Val Oketcho
Secretary General – Eddie Oketcho
Deputy Secretary General – Sheila Naturinda
Treasurer – Charles Nsamba
Director, PR – Simon Kasyate
Director, Programs – Sumin Namaganda
Director, Discipline – Alfred Geresom Musamali
Students Representative –
1. Kezia Koburungi, KIU
2. Roland Ssebuliba, Ndejje University
