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Brian Mushana Kwesiga

Brian Mushana Kwesiga
Born1987 (age 38–39)
Rujumbura County, Rukungiri District, Southwestern Uganda[1][2]
Other namesMushana, Brian Kwesiga, Brian M. Kwesiga[2]
Alma materFletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (GBA)[3]
Southern Methodist University (MS, BS, BA)[4][5]
Dallas College (AS)[6]
OccupationsEntrepreneur, Engineer, Civic Leader[2]
Known forCivic Leadership
AwardsDistinguished Alumni Award,[6]
Honos Civicus Inductee[7]
Websitewww.mushana.com

Brian Mushana Kwesiga (born 1987) is a Ugandan-born engineer and civic leader. He served as president and CEO of the Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) from 2013 to 2015[8] and was appointed general manager of the Uganda men's national lacrosse team, in 2023.[9] He has also participated in policy leadership programs, including the Africa Policy Accelerator at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).[10]

Early life and education

Kwesiga was born in 1987 in Rujumbura County, Rukungiri District in Southwestern Uganda.[1] He moved to the United States at the age of 15 after completing his O-level education at Kibuli Secondary School in Kampala.[2] In the U.S., he earned an Associate of Science degree from the Brookhaven campus of Dallas College in 2005; the college later honored him as a Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 2020.[6]

He received dual bachelor's degrees: a B.S. in electrical engineering and a B.A. in international studies from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2009.[5] He later completed a Master of Science in systems engineering from SMU in 2018[4] and a Master of Global Business Administration from Tufts University's Fletcher School in 2025. During the Tufts program, he was inducted into the Honos Civicus Society for civic leadership.[3]

Aerospace Career

Brian Kwesiga has over 15 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industry. According to a 2023 profile in CEO East Africa Magazine, he has worked at several major U.S. defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Technologies.[2]

Civic leadership and public engagement

Ugandan North American Association (UNAA)

In September 2013, Kwesiga was elected President and CEO of the Ugandan North American Association (UNAA) at age 26, making him the youngest person to lead the organization.[11] His two-year term coincided with UNAA’s 25th anniversary and a push for greater diaspora engagement. During a 2014 visit in Dallas, Texas, he publicly lobbied President Yoweri Museveni to increase government support for the diaspora. Museveni subsequently committed to expanding Uganda’s annual financial support to UNAA fivefold.[12]

UNAA implemented financial and structural improvements under his leadership.[13] Kwesiga moved member payments from unofficial remittance channels to official banking systems and conducted the association's first independent financial audit.[14] He also spearheaded the establishment of several programs, including a scholarship program for aspiring young Ugandan American leaders, professional-interest networks, and a chapter development fund.[10]

Diaspora policy advocacy

Following his UNAA presidency, Kwesiga continued to support the rights of the Ugandan diaspora, including voting rights and political representation. In 2015, he urged overseas voting at Ugandan missions. He argued that the economic contributions of the diaspora justify their inclusion in the electoral process.[15][16] Government officials later acknowledged plans to expand diaspora engagement, including the creation of a Diaspora Services Department.[17]

He has also written on dual citizenship reform and diaspora governance in national newspapers such as New Vision and Daily Monitor.[18][19] In 2024, he was selected as a fellow in the Africa Policy Accelerator program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, D.C.-based policy think tank.[6][10]

Sports diplomacy

In May 2023, the Uganda Lacrosse Association appointed Kwesiga as General Manager of the Uganda men's national lacrosse team, making him the first Ugandan to hold the role.[20][21] He led fundraising and coordination efforts that enabled Uganda to participate in the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship in San Diego, making it the only African nation represented.[22][23][24]

Earlier in his community engagement, Kwesiga founded the Dallas Cranes Football Club in 2009, a Ugandan soccer team based in Texas, and was recognized by the DFW International Community Alliance for his leadership.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Lutwama, Samuel (28 April 2015). "Kwesiga, the Young Man Steering Ugandans in America Ahead". New Vision. Vision Group. Archived from the original on 25 Jan 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e Kyamutetera, Muhereza (8 January 2023). "From Lockheed Martin to Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Technologies; Meet Brian Kwesiga, a Systems Engineer from Rukungiri, Uganda making moves in the US defence and aerospace world". CEO East Africa. Archived from the original on 22 December 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Honos Civicus Society | Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life". tischcollege.tufts.edu. Archived from the original on 2025-11-21. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  4. ^ a b "December Commencement Convocation" (PDF). smu.edu. Southern Methodist University. December 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Ninety-fourth annual Commencement Convocation" (PDF). smu.edu. Southern Methodist University. May 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 Sep 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "2024-2025 Cohort | Africa Policy Accelerator | CSIS". www.csis.org. Center for Strategic and International Studies. September 2024. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  7. ^ "Honos Civicus Society". tufts.edu. May 2025. Archived from the original on 7 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  8. ^ Kulubya, Geoffrey; Muwanguzi, Samuel (2 September 2013). "Brian Kwesiga Becomes Youngest UNAA President". New Vision. Vision Group. Archived from the original on 22 Dec 2024.
  9. ^ Reporter, Our (2023-05-03). "Uganda Lacrosse Names Brian Kwesiga as General Manager". SoftPower News. Archived from the original on 16 January 2026. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  10. ^ a b c "Value your worth and negotiate- Kwesiga". Monitor. 2024-12-27. Archived from the original on 2025-02-09. Retrieved 2026-02-08.
  11. ^ Mulumba, Abu-Baker; Kimbowa, Joseph (17 October 2013). "Ugandan North American Association Boss With Big Dreams". The Observer / AllAfrica. Observer Media Ltd. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  12. ^ Kasyate, Simon (4 May 2015). "Uganda: How Lessons From Brazil Inspired Brian Kwesiga's UNAA Dream". The Observer / AllAfrica. Observer Media Ltd. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  13. ^ "UNAA Board of Trustees Resigns :". Uganda Radionetwork. Archived from the original on 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2026-02-09.
  14. ^ Reporter, Vision. "Detractors will not derail UNAA from its mission". New Vision. Archived from the original on 10 Feb 2026. Retrieved 2026-02-10.
  15. ^ Musisi, Frederic (7 August 2015). "Ugandans in North America Want to Vote Abroad". Daily Monitor / AllAfrica. Nation Media Group Uganda. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Ugandan citizens in North America want to vote abroad". The Citizen News. 8 August 2015. Archived from the original on 10 Feb 2026. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  17. ^ Wandera, Stephen (13 August 2015). "Ugandans in Diaspora Won't Vote, Says Kiggundu". Daily Monitor / AllAfrica. Nation Media Group Uganda. Archived from the original on 27 Apr 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  18. ^ Kwesiga, Brian (7 November 2024). "From Fear to Opportunity: Rethinking Uganda's dual citizenship laws". New Vision. Archived from the original on 25 January 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  19. ^ Kwesiga, Brian (9 May 2025). "Where the homeland forgets, the diaspora remembers". Daily Monitor. Archived from the original on 6 October 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  20. ^ "Uganda Lacrosse hire new team manager". New Vision. Vision Group. May 2023. Archived from the original on 26 December 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  21. ^ "Uganda Lacrosse Names Brian Kwesiga as General Manager". SoftPower News. 3 May 2023. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  22. ^ Byemboijana, Muhamadi (25 May 2023). "Gov't Grants Uganda Lacrosse Shs 130m for World Championship in San Diego". SoftPower News. Archived from the original on 13 December 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  23. ^ "Uganda ranked 30th at World Lacrosse Championship". New Vision. Vision Group. 8 July 2023. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  24. ^ "2023 World Lacrosse Men's Championship concludes after 11 days". World Lacrosse. 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 10 November 2025. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
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