PROFILE: Who is Mercy Kyomugasho Kainobwisho, the New URSB Registrar General?

The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) board has appointed Mercy Kyomugasho Kainobwisho as their new Registrar General.

Kainobwisho takes over from Bemanya Twebaze who was appointed the new Director General of the African Intellectual Property Organisation last month. Bemanya was at the helm of Uganda Registrtaion Services Bureau since 2012.

Bemanya is remembered for controversy over his role as the administrator of the Uganda Telecom. Bemanya exchanged public spats with the State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite over the running of troubled Uganda Telecom.

The latter wanted Bemanya relieved of his duties, accusing him of refusing an audit, in a fight in which the president later said that Bemenya could not be relieved of his duties as Uganda Telecom’s administrator.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, it was said that Ms Kainobwisho emerged the successful candidate after beating seven others during internal interviews held on December 2.

Kainobwisho has been Director, Intellectual Property Directorate, a position she has held since February 2017.

While at URSB, Kainobwisho rose through the ranks after joining as Manager, Directorate of Intellectual Property November 2011 to October 2014, she went on to become Director, Business Registration, Directorate of Business Registration at the agency, holding the position from October 2014 to February 2017.

Before URSB, she served as State Attorney in the Department of the Registrar General at the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs from 2005 to 2011.

Ms Kainobwisho had joined the Ministry from Shonubi Musoke & Co Advocates where she was a Legal Assistant for a year from October 2004 to October 2005.

She holds a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property (LLM), University of Turin, Italy, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Makerere University, Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Center (LDC), Kampala and Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB), Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Ms Kainobwisho is an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda with 15 years experience specializing in Intellectual Property Law, a Member of the Uganda Law Society and the Vice Chairperson World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Coordination Committee.