Engineer Habumugisha Awarded Diamond Jubilee Medal for Outstanding National Service

Kisoro District has added to its list of distinguished sons after Habumugisha John Bosco was awarded the prestigious Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his outstanding service and loyalty to Uganda.

The award was conferred by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on May 1, 2026, in line with the National Honours and Awards Act, citing Habomugisha’s significant contribution to the country’s energy and infrastructure development.

Born in Kisoro on October 11, 1968, Habumugisha has built a distinguished career grounded in academic excellence and technical leadership.

He holds a Master of Science in Pipeline Engineering with distinction from the University of Newcastle, a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering with distinction from the University of New South Wales, and a First Class Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Makerere University.

He has served under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and currently works as Deputy Managing Director and General Manager for the Uganda branch of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline Company.

In his role, he has provided critical technical leadership, including guiding the identification of the most cost-effective route for the East African Crude Oil Pipeline—one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects.

Over the years, he has led several key national initiatives, including the startup of petroleum product importation under the Uganda National Oil Company, development of the national petroleum transportation and storage strategy, and restructuring of the fuel marking program to ensure quality assurance.

He also contributed to the development of petroleum standards with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and served as Project Lead for Phase One of the Kabalega International Airport project.

Speaking to our reporter, Habumugisha expressed gratitude for the recognition, noting that he has been part of Uganda’s petroleum sector since 2009 and has witnessed significant progress, including the development of the 1,443-kilometre crude oil pipeline.

He urged young people to focus on activities that promote development and avoid distractions that may derail their future.

Habumugisha also revealed that Uganda’s crude oil is expected to be ready for refining by the end of 2026, with part of it set for export to international markets.

On local development, he called on leaders to consider promoting Kisoro into a tourism district, noting that this would boost marketing, attract investment, and improve infrastructure.