If Uganda’s economy was a boda boda, Matia Kasaija would be the guy in the front steady hands😂😂, avoiding potholes, and somehow dodging traffic cops. Born on 28 May 1944 in Kibaale, Kasaija has been riding the financial bike for decades, making him the longest-serving finance minister since independence.
The man doesn’t just talk numbers, he talks big. For 2025/26, he’s predicting 7% economic growth. That’s right, 7%! And he says it with the confidence of a parent promising, “This time, I’m really going to buy you that new phone.”
He’s also fiercely protective of the national wallet. His words, not mine:
“I will never mortgage Uganda as long as I am still the Finance Minister.”
Basically, you’re not about to catch him putting Uganda’s title deed on OLX.
Kasaija’s style is refreshingly blunt – he’s called out corruption, pushed for better gaming regulation (yes, betting money is now better tracked than some politicians’ side hustles), and still manages to keep Uganda’s economic boda boda moving forward.
Love him or roast him, one thing’s for sure: in a world of political U-turns, Matia Kasaija is still riding straight.
