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State House means the official residence of the President. In Uganda at the moment, there are two main State Houses, one in Nakasero, Kampala and the other in Entebbe. However, there are also several State lodges scattered around the country.
The President of Uganda is provided for under Article 98 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. The mandate of the President is provided for under Article 99 of the Constitution where all Executive Authority in Uganda is vested in the President. Article 108 of the constitution also provides for H.E the Vice President.
The institution of State House facilitates and supports the President, The Vice President and their families while the private offices in particular provide the official linkages with government, the foreign diplomats and the general public.
The mandate of State House is to provide at all times, support to the Presidency in order to facilitate effective and efficient performance of its constitutional and administrative responsibilities as well as to cater for the welfare and security of H.E the President, H.E the Vice President and that of their families.
The very first State House was constructed in Entebbe, long before Independence largely because Entebbe was the first Capital city of the colonial government.
At the time, it housed the Governor, who was the de-facto leader of the country; Governor Sir Walter Coutts who was the last Governor occupant of Entebbe State House. During this time, the current State House in Nakasero was known as the State Lodge, Nakasero.
Uganda’s first President, Sir Edward Muteesa, did not use State House as his residence because he could not leave his various palaces, including the main one at Mengo. When Milton Obote took over in 1966, he occupied State House Entebbe.
When Idi Amin captured power in 1971, he changed the name of the Nakasero State Lodge to Government House and allocated part of it mainly to the State Research Bureau.
During his tenure as president, Idi Amin used both residences inter-changedly. He occasionally stayed in Entebbe, however after the 1976 Israeli raid at the nearby air-port; he never lived there again and instead chose to stay in private residences around Kololo (command post) and the Cape, near Gaba.
During the short lived UNLF government between 1979 and 1980, both Yusuf Lule and Godfrey Binaisa used State House, Entebbe in succession. However, they spent most of their time at Nile Mansions, where the President had an office.
It was during Idi Amin’s regime that more State Lodges were constructed across the country. However, for many years after Amin, most of them remained in a state of despair.Many of these houses have been renovated under the NRM regime and are used whenever the President visits the area.
When President Museveni came to power, he at first used State House, Entebbe as his main residence. Though it was not in perfect condition, it was better than Nakasero State Lodge. He held meetings there during his first years in office, however after the renovation of State House, Nakasero he used Entebbe, less and less, until he finally left it for renovations.
When Museveni assumed office, Nakasero State House was in a state of disrepair, a state it had been left in since the overthrow of Idi Amin.The new government however renovated it and also expanded it to include neighboring buildings like Okello House, which was bought from its owner. After renovation, the President used it more often for official duties.
As CHOGM approached in 2007, State House Entebbe that had been in a poor state for many years was also renovated. It was also expanded from just 1,584 square meters to 17,472 square meters. It is now difficult to miss it since it is the dominant structure to the left, before Entebbe town as one leaves the airport.
One of the reasons it was renovated was to use it for guests during CHOGM in 2007; including the Queen of England, who among others was given a state bouquet at the complex.
State House is not just a residence. It has so many amenities that make it almost self sustaining. Among these include offices for State House employees, including the State House Comptroller, offices for the First lady, Communications Office, Security Office, Offices for the various Presidential Advisors etc. There are also several conference halls, guest wings, health clubs and recreation facilities.
The new State House, which now dwarfs and occupies a big part of Entebbe’s area has also got a conference hall that can sit at least 500 delegates.
The mandate of State House is to provide at all times, support to the Presidency in order to facilitate effective and efficient performance of its constitutional and administrative responsibilities as well as to cater for the welfare and security of H.E the President, H.E the Vice President and that of their families.
Office of the Principal Private Secretary to H.E
The Private Office and Household of H.E the President is headed by the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) as the overall coordinator, supervisor and manager of the related staff and functional units. All heads of related units as well as private secretaries report to the PPS.
Office of the Deputy Principal Private Secretary to H.E
The Deputy Principal Private Secretary (DPPS) assists the Principal Private Secretary in general administration and management of selected correspondences. In addition, to reduce the span of control and enable the PPS operate more efficiently, some of the Private Secretaries are required to report directly to the DPPS from time to time.
Presidential Press/Public Relations Unit
The Press and Public Relations Unit of State House is responsible for effectively handling the media; promote good public relations and project a positive image of H.E the President, H.E the Vice President, the First Family and the Institution of State House.
The Unit is responsible for handling all media related matters and liaise with all major media agencies locally and internationally for effective communication as well as counter negative reporting.
Protocol Unit
The Protocol Unit of State House is responsible for drawing and producing a realistic, tenable and rational work diary for H.E the President, manage it and ensure its successful implementation as well as to provide protocol services for the Institution of State House.
The Unit is also responsible for preparing H.E the President’s programmes, arranging visits and making appointments for guests including foreign dignitaries. The Protocol Unit is among other things responsible for receiving diplomats and other guests and escorting them to participate in ceremonies for diplomatic credentials in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign and Diplomatic Affairs unit
The Foreign and Diplomatic Affairs Unit is responsible for keeping H.E the President fully and accurately informed about international diplomatic issues which affect Uganda’s interests. The Unit is responsible for ensuring that diplomatic etiquettes are upheld unreservedly in all functions in State House and that H.E the President’s diplomatic appointments and arrangements for the presentation of credentials for incoming heads of missions, meetings between H.E the President and members of the Foreign and Diplomatic Corps, coordinate all visits to Uganda by Foreign Dignitaries and to other countries by H.E the President or members of the First Family and to ensure that all mail from the Ministry of Foreign, Diplomatic missions and international organizations/individuals addressed to H.E the President or State House are received, sorted out and scrutinized for action. Interpretation of languages is also done where necessary.
Legal Unit
The Legal Unit of State House is responsible for all matters of a legal nature involving or addressed to H.E the President, the Principal Private Secretary or the Institution of State House. It is responsible for ensuring that all legal matters are effectively, expeditiously and lawfully handled and also to facilitate direct linkage with the Attorney General. The Unit is also responsible for providing timely legal advice an all matters of a legal nature or involving legal technicalities tendered to H.E the President, H.E the Vice President, the Principal Private Secretaries and the Institution of State House.
Security and Defense Unit
The Security and Defense unit is responsible for harmonizing and coordinating activities regarding security and defense related matters in State House with other State Organs. The unit provides an effective linkage and coordination between H.E the President, the Institution of State House, the Special Forces Group and various security organs in a manner that enhances expeditious collaboration, strategic actions and decisions on all security matters.
Economic Unit
The Economic Unit oversees all aspects of the economy and is responsible for keeping H.E the President, accurately and fully informed and updated constantly on the performance of the economy and the general economic issues so as to facilitate rational decision making on economic matters at the national and international levels.
The Unit is also responsible for advising the President on economic matters relating to macro and section performance and to research, analyze and prepare briefs on economic related information and issues so as to facilitate H.E the President’s decision making on economic matters.
The Department of Finance and Administration
The Department of Finance and Administration is responsible for overall coordination, harmonization and collaboration of all operations and activities in State House. The Department, headed by the State House Comptroller provides administrative support including securing and availing adequate human resources, finance, office equipment, accommodation, transport, records and information facilities/services to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in all operations and activities of the Institution of State House. The department is responsible for maintaining and efficient and effective management systems for all fiscal resources and facilities and to ensure a timely and proper accountability of all the fiscal and other resources allocated and utilized in State House in accordance with the financial accounting regulations.