Former State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Ssuubi Kiwanda has declared his bid for a seat in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
Kiwanda, who famously endorsed and pushed for Miss Curvy as a tourism iniative and appointed socialites such as Zari to be tourism ambassadors, pledged to leverage his parliamentary and government experience to promote East African political integration and strengthen Uganda’s representation in the regional parliament.
Kiwanda, who is seeking endorsement from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), said EALA requires leaders with proven legislative and governance experience capable of effectively shaping regional policy and cooperation within the East African Community (EAC).
He cited his three terms as a Member of Parliament, his service as Minister of State, and his current role in regional political party coordination as key qualifications that position him to contribute meaningfully to the EAC integration agenda.
“The East African Legislative Assembly is not a place for beginners. It requires experienced leaders who understand legislation, governance, and regional cooperation. My experience in Parliament and government has prepared me to effectively represent Uganda and advance the interests of our country within the East African Community,” Kiwanda said.
He further emphasised that political integration remains a central pillar of the East African Community, noting that while progress has been made in economic cooperation and other integration areas, the long-term goal remains the establishment of a fully integrated East African Federation.
Kiwanda said his current role as Interim Chairperson of a regional platform bringing together political parties across East Africa has enabled him to contribute to consensus-building efforts and the promotion of regional unity.
“Political integration remains one of the key pillars of the East African Community. Through my role as Interim Chairperson of the regional platform of political parties, I have been mobilising leaders across the region to strengthen cooperation and move us closer to achieving the East African Federation,” he said.
He appealed to the NRM Central Executive Committee, the party’s Parliamentary Caucus, and Members of Parliament to support his candidature, saying he is prepared to serve Uganda with commitment, energy, and integrity at the regional legislative level.
Kiwanda is remembered for he publicly supporting and launching a controversial tourism branding initiative in 2019 that included a pageant branded as “Miss Curvy Uganda” (often referred to in media and public debate as “Miss Big Bums”).
The initiative was promoted under the broader “toursim marketing and domestic tourism promotion” agenda, and Kiwanda argued it was intended to attract more visitors to Uganda by leveraging what he described as Uganda’s “natural endowments” and promoting cultural tourism products.
However, the programme sparked strong criticism from sections of the public, religious leaders, and some government officials, who argued it was inappropriate and reduced women to body features.
The Ministry of Tourism later distanced itself from the framing of the pageant after the backlash, and the controversy contributed to Kiwanda eventually stepping back from pushing that specific branding approach.
After losing his Mityana North seat in 2021 general elections, President Museveni in June of the same year replaced Kiwanda with Martin Mugarra Bahinduka.
