Evelyn Anite

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Evelyn Anite
Hon. Evelyn Anite.jpg
Evelyn Anite in December 2025
Born (1984-11-11) 11 November 1984 (age 41)
Adakado, Koboko District, Uganda
Citizenship Uganda
Alma mater Uganda Christian University
(Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication)
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
(Global Master of Arts Programme in International Law and Diplomacy)
Harvard Business School
(Senior Executive Program Certificate)
Occupations Politician, Entrepreneur
Years active2006 – present
Known for Politics, Entrepreneur
TitleState Minister for Investment & Privatization in the Cabinet of Uganda
SpouseMarried to Allan Kajik since 2011.
Website https://www.aniteevelyn.com

Evelyn Anite Kajik (born 11 November 1984), commonly known as Evelyn Anite, is a Ugandan politician and former journalist. She has served as State Minister of Finance for Investment and Privatization in the Ugandan Cabinet since 6 June 2016. [1]

Contents

Anite previously served as State Minister for Youth, a position she held from March 1, 2015, to June 6,2016. She succeeded Ronald Kibuule, who was then after appointed State Minister for Water Resources. [2]

Anite was also the elected Member of Parliament for Koboko Municipality in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda's Northern Region, serving from 2011 to 2021. [3]

In 2021, Anite didn't participate in the general elections leaving the sest to National Resistance Movement (NRM's) Charles Ayume, son of the late Francis Ayume, a former speaker of the Ugandan Parliament. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Early life and education

Anite was born on 11 November 1984, in Adakado Village, Koboko District, in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda's Northern Region, to Steven Dravu, a civil servant, and Sarah Wokoru Dravu, a businesswoman. She is fluent in both Lugbara and Kakwa languages. She attended Arua Hill Primary School for her elementary school education. She studied at Saint Mary's Ediofe Secondary School for her O-Level studies. She transferred to Muni Girls' Secondary School for her A-Level education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from Uganda Christian University in 2008. [3] [9]

In 2018–2019, she earned a Master of Arts in International Law and Diplomacy from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts, in the United States. [10] She has also completed a Senior Executive Program Certificate from Harvard Business School. [11]

Career

[12] Anite began her career in media, working as a radio presenter and in news monitoring, scripting, and hosting. From 2008 to 2010, she served as a Public Affairs Assistant for International Relations at the Uganda Media Centre.

. [3] [9] In 2011, she entered politics, winning the parliamentary seat as the Youth Representative for Northern Uganda. She served in that role until 2016, when she successfully contested and won the direct seat for Koboko Municipality, serving until 2021. During her parliamentary tenure, she held positions including Publicity Secretary of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, Coordinator of Uganda–Qatar relations, board member of the Parliamentary Pension Scheme and Makerere University Business School, and committee member on Equal Opportunities, Foreign Affairs, and Health.

On 1 March 2015, she was appointed State Minister for Youth and Children Affairs. She was reappointed to cabinet on 6 June 2016 as State Minister of Finance for Investment and Privatization, a position she continues to hold as of 2026. In this role, she represents government interests in enterprises under the Privatization Unit and promotes investment in Uganda. . [13]

Controversies

Anite, who represented the Youth of Uganda in the 9th Parliament (2011 to 2016) Koboko Municipality in the 10th Parliament (2016 to 2021), once had a heated debate with the then Woman MP of Koboko District, Margaret Babadiri when the latter accused the former of eyeing her seat. Anite referred to Babadiri as her mother who needs to rest from hectic politics. [14] [14] Anite did not compete with Babadiri for the woman MP seat but went for Koboko municipality and successfully competed with men.

Evelyn Anite People006px.jpg
Evelyn Anite

In February 2014, during the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, ahead of the 2016 presidential elections, Anite moved a resolution to declare President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni the official party flag bearer. The resolution that came to be known as the Kyankwanzi Resolution, was met with resistance. [15] [16]

In response to her support for the removal of the age limit bill, [17] Anite claimed that she had received multiple death threats. [18] [19] [20] This prompted the government to give her a security detail. [21] [22] She also described fellow legislators who were opposed to the bill as "selfish hooligans". [23]

Speaking in support of the removal of the age limit bill, Anite that the ruling party had "the numbers and the national army on their side". [24] The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) has since distanced itself from this utterance. [25]

In December 2019, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) cleared Anite of any wrongdoing in the Uganda Telecom (UTL) Saga and dropped investigations against her. [26] [27] [28]

During the opening of a factory in Njeru, Uganda in October 2020 vowed to spearhead Uganda's industrialization and not to be distracted by accusations against her. She dismissed allegations she had fled the country. [29] [30] [31]

Following her admission to Tufts University, a section of Ugandans living in the United States started a petition and carried out a demonstration demanding that her admission to the university be cancelled. [32] They alleged that the United States should not provide refuge for corrupt officials under the guise of further studies. [33] Tufts University rejected the request stating that she had done nothing wrong to warrant her expulsion. They further added that as a student at the school of law, her privacy was protected. [34]

In 2021 after Anite lost the National resistance movement flag bearer elections to Dr Charles Ayume, she withdrew the ambulance she had earlier donated to Koboko Health Center IV. [35] [36] [37]

Personal life

Evelyn Anite and husband Amb. Allan Kajik in December 2025 Anite and Allan Kajik.jpg
Evelyn Anite and husband Amb. Allan Kajik in December 2025

Anite is married to Allan Kajik, a Ugandan diplomat serving as ambassador (or chargé d'affaires) to Canada. The couple has 2 children. [29]

See also

References

  1. Uganda State House (6 June 2016). "Museveni's new cabinet list At 6 June 2016" (PDF). Daily Monitor . Kampala. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  2. Uganda State House (1 March 2015). "Full Cabinet List As At 1 March 2015" (PDF). Daily Monitor . Kampala. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Parliament of Uganda (2016). "Parliament of Uganda Members of the 10th Parliament: Evelyn Anite, Member of Parliament for Koboko Municipality". Parliament of Uganda . Kampala. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  4. "Ayume's Son Challenges Anite for Koboko Municipality NRM Party Ticket". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  5. Minister Evelyn Anite loses in Koboko , retrieved 2 April 2021
  6. Jjingo, Ernest. "Anite: President's order sank me". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  7. "Mafias Stole my Victory, Minister Anite Cries Foul | The Kampala Post". kampalapost.com. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  8. "Minister Evelyn Anite loses in Koboko". NTV Uganda. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  9. 1 2 Tumusiime, Abdulaziizi (16 November 2013). "The Making of Northern Youth MP Evelyn Anite". Daily Monitor . Kampala. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  10. Asiimwe, Brian (13 July 2018). "Minister Anite Takes Leave To United States Amid USh28 Billion Bribe Saga". Kampala: Softpower Uganda. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  11. Monitor Reporter (21 July 2019). "Minister Anite graduates from US university". Daily Monitor . Kampala. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  12. AllAfrica, Africa (30 July 2010). ""Uganda: Four NRM Youths in Race for the North"". All Africa.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. Uganda State House (6 June 2016). "Uganda's New Cabinet As At 6 June 2016". Scribd.com. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. 1 2 Deo Walusimbi (2 May 2014). "Anite Is A Foreigner, Fellow MP Charges". The Observer (Uganda) . Kampala. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  15. Alfred Tumusabe and Arans Tabaruka (24 April 2014). "Kanungu Opposes NRM Caucus Resolution". Daily Monitor . Kampala. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  16. Olive Eyotaru (14 July 2020). "NRM Electoral Commission Disowns Museveni Sole Candidate Project". Kampala: Uganda Radio Network . Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  17. SoftPower (10 October 2017). "Minister Anite Pulls Idi Amin Like Stunt To Promote Anti-Age Limit Campaign". Kampala: SoftPower Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  18. The Insider (21 September 2017). "People Threatening To Kill Me Like Kaweesi – Anite". Kampala: The Insider Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  19. Marion Ayebazibwe (19 July 2017). "Anite Receives Death Threats Over Age Limit Amendment". Kampala: The Tower Post. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  20. Edge Uganda (30 September 2017). "Anite: I'm taking screenshots of those who want to kill me". Kampala: Edge Uganda. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  21. The Sunrise Uganda (29 June 2018). "Army patrols to guard Age limit top backers". Kampala: The Sunrise Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  22. Josephine Namuloki (12 July 2018). "Why Policemen Hate Guarding MPs". The Observer (Uganda) . Kampala. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  23. The Insider Uganda (27 September 2017). "Anite describes MPs against Age limit removal as 'Selfish Hooligans'". Kampala: The Insider Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  24. Uganda Radio Network (14 September 2017). "Age limit: Army is on our side, says minister Anite". The Observer (Uganda) . Kampala. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  25. Mivule Gyagenda (14 March 2018). ""Don't Talk For Us," UPDF Distances Self From Anite "Majje" Bluff". SoftPower Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  26. Kim Aine (9 July 2018). "Anite Accused of Failing Bidder as UTL Storm Rages On". Kampala: ChimpReports. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  27. George Okello (9 July 2018). "Hamilton lawyers take on minister Anite after Cabinet fallout in UTL saga". Kampala: PML Daily. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  28. "Koboko district officials shocked at MP's decision". NTV Uganda. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  29. 1 2 The Insider Uganda (18 July 2020). "Bribery Saga: Minister Anite Flees Country With Entire Family". Kampala: The Insider Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  30. Sadab Kitatta Kaaya (4 May 2018). "Anite runs to Museveni over Shs 29bn bribe". The Observer (Uganda) . Kampala. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  31. Vicky Wandawa (4 August 2018). "Anite sues local newspaper for Sh500 million". New Vision . Kampala. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  32. David Mujuni (24 July 2018). "Inside Minister Evelyn Anite's UGX 342 Million Scholarship in America". Kampala: Campus Bee Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  33. Edge Uganda (20 July 2018). "Activists pressure American university to dismiss Anite". Kampala: Edge Uganda. Retrieved 19 April 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  34. Alex Otto (11 August 2018). "Tufts University Declines to Expel Anite". Kampala: Uganda Radio Network . Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  35. "Minister Evelyn Anite withdraws her ambulance as Koboko rejects her leadership bid". weareuganda.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  36. Sadab Kitatta Kaaya. "Angry losing MPs withdraw ambulances". The Observer - Uganda. Kampala. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  37. "Minister Anite withdraws ambulance she donated to Koboko". Matooke Republic. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.