Col Edith Nakalema is no ordinary Ugandan or ordinary army officer. Unlike colleagues in the Uganda People's Defence Force, she has had the privilege of catching the attention of the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni, with whom she has worked closely to the point of taking them for parents rather than her bosses.
She has been in the corridors of power and met the high and mighty in Uganda’s political, military, religious and social classes, thanks to her former jobs as President Museveni’s private assistant, then head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and her current deployment as State House Investor Protection Unit head.
Her recently released book,My Father and I: The Power of Intentional Fatherhood, is a deeply personal and inspiring memoir by Col Nakalema that celebrates the enduring influence of her late father, Rev Eliasaph Sserwadda. The book explores how intentional fatherhood shapes character, instils values, and prepares children for lives of purpose and service.
She says when President Museveni personally interviewed her for the job as his private secretary, the focus was not on how qualified she was, but the values she held, having heard about her strong Christian background.
Nakalema did not just join the army — a Christian leader at her college identified her and colleagues and recommended them for recruitment, which she attributes to Christian values from her father.
The book chronicles the remarkable life of Rev Sserwadda, an Anglican priest and dedicated community leader whose unwavering faith, humility, and commitment to family left an indelible mark on his children and the communities he served. Through 17 engaging chapters, Nakalema reflects on her upbringing in a modest household in Kashari, Mbarara District, in southwestern Uganda, where material resources were limited but love, discipline, faith, and integrity were abundant.
Her father’s determination to educate all his children despite financial hardship demonstrates that true wealth lies not in possessions, but in values and vision.
Rev Sserwadda is presented a provider, mentor, teacher, and role model who led by example, highlighting his willingness to undertake manual work, from fabricating metal beds to making water gutters, which Nakalema says shaped her professional journey that focuses on honest labour and determination.
The memoir also offers readers a compelling account of Col Nakalema’s own rise from humble beginnings to one of Uganda’s most respected public servants.
Her progression through the UPDF, including her pioneering roles in the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the State House Investors Protection Unit, is portrayed as the natural outcome of the values her father instilled: Discipline, integrity, faith, resilience, and service above self.
The book challenges the common perception in the Ugandan society, especially among young people that success in public service depends on wealth, connections, or privilege, rather than character and competence.
The book is enriched with photographs of both Rev Sserwadda and Nakalema at different stages of their work life, which makes the story in the book appealing even to lazy readers.
Nakalema’s reflections on Christianity, divine guidance, and her father’s lifelong devotion to God reinforce the central message that spiritual values provide a strong foundation for personal growth and leadership.
Rev Sserwadda’s enduring motto, “Yesu Namara (Jesus satisfies)," gives the reader the kind of man Sserwadda was and how he viewed faith.
Nakalema also brings out President Museveni’s view of Uganda. Standing at a high pedestal and taking care of every one of the 46 million Ugandans, the president sees himself as a father that must be intentional on how and where the country moves. She says his inspiration has enabled her to touch many lives throughout her professional journey.
Readers may look at Nakalema’s journey as an element of luck, but her relationships with the people prove the influence of character.
Her book launch in Kampala last week, drew senior officer from the army, top religious leaders and senior businesspeople.
The book's foreword was written by President Museveni.
Born in Kashari village in Mbarara, Nakalema went to local schools in western Uganda before joining college to study business, after which she joined the army. She rose through the ranks to major in the Special Forces Command, a unit tasked to give protection to the president, his family, guests and other strategic installations in the country.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in procurement and logistics management, from Nkumba University.
Col Nakalema worked in the finance department of the Special Forces Command (SFC), and is credited for establishing a working financial and accounting system at the SFC.
In 2014, she was appointed personal private secretary to the President and in 2016 made personal assistant.
In 2017, she joined the Joint Services Command and Staff College, in Watchfield, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, graduating in 2018.
Nakalema now serves as the Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU), a government initiative established to support investors by addressing bottlenecks and improving Uganda’s investment climate.
Col. Nakalema has built a career that combines military service, public administration, and investment facilitation, where her role is to promote investor confidence and streamlining engagement between government and the private sector through SHIPU.
