Dr Olara Otunnu
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Among all the contenders of the UN General Secretary position, Uganda’s Olara Otunnu might be the one with the richest career history. With academic credentials from two of the world’s most prestigious universities, decades of service within the United Nations system, experience in government, diplomacy, academia and peacebuilding, Otunnu enters the race with a résumé that few candidates can rival.
As the contest to replace United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres gathers momentum ahead of the expiry of his second term on December 31, 2026, Uganda has formally presented Ambassador Olara Otunnu as its candidate, arguing that his vast experience places him in a unique position to lead the global organization through an increasingly turbulent international landscape.
Otunnu holds a bachelor’s degree in jurisprudence from Oxford University and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. Fluent in English, French and Luo, he has built a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in diplomacy, international law, conflict resolution and humanitarian affairs.
Presidential contender
Although many Ugandans remember him as the former president of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) who unsuccessfully contested the 2011 presidential election, his international profile extends far beyond domestic politics.
His diplomatic journey began shortly after Uganda’s liberation from the Idi Amin regime. He served as Uganda’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1980 and 1985, a period during which he gained deep insight into the workings of the world’s foremost multilateral institution.
“Otunnu Formula”
One of his enduring contributions came in December 1981 when he served as President of the United Nations Security Council. During that period, he introduced the straw-balloting procedure for selecting the UN Secretary-General, a process that later became internationally known as the “Otunnu Formula.”
The voting method has remained the standard mechanism used in every Secretary-General selection since 1981, making Otunnu one of the few candidates whose procedural legacy is already embedded within the UN itself.
His career also includes service as Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs between July 1985 and January 1986 and membership on Uganda’s National Consultative Council following the fall of Idi Amin. Earlier still, he demonstrated leadership while serving as Guild President of Makerere University during the 1972/73 academic year.
Outside government, Otunnu led the International Peace Academy—now the International Peace Institute—as its president from 1990 to 1998. He has also held teaching and research positions at Albany Law School, the American University in Paris and the Institut Français des Relations Internationales, strengthening his reputation as both a practitioner and scholar of international affairs.
Uganda’s bold move
Uganda formally unveiled his candidature this week through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire described Otunnu as a statesman whose experience cuts across nearly every sphere of international diplomacy.
“The Government of Uganda is confident that Ambassador Otunnu’s unique breadth of experience, spanning the UN Secretariat, the Security Council, national government, academia, and grassroots peace-building, makes him exceptionally well suited to lead the United Nations at this critical juncture in global affairs,” Bagiire stated.
According to the ministry, Otunnu has accumulated more than 40 years of distinguished service in the United Nations system, government, academia and civil society.
His nomination was officially communicated after the President of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, and the President of the Security Council, Zenon Ngay Mukongo, informed member states in a July 25 letter that Uganda had presented him as its candidate.
First-ever United Nations Under-Secretary-General
Perhaps one of the strongest pillars supporting Otunnu’s candidature is his tenure as the first-ever United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
Serving from 1998 until 2005, he transformed what had previously received limited global attention into a central Security Council concern.
Bagiire noted that Otunnu successfully placed the protection of children affected by war on the Security Council agenda and designed the landmark compliance and monitoring framework adopted under Security Council Resolution 1612 in 2005.
That monitoring mechanism continues to guide international efforts to document grave violations against children in conflict zones and remains one of the most enduring institutional reforms within the UN’s humanitarian architecture.
His contributions have earned him numerous international honours, including the Sydney Peace Prize in 2005, the German Africa Prize in 2002 and the Harvard Law School Alumni Association Award in 2007.
For many observers, these recognitions reinforce Uganda’s argument that Otunnu combines intellectual excellence with practical leadership.
Minor hindrances
However, despite his formidable credentials, analysts acknowledge that his path to becoming the world’s top diplomat will not be straightforward.
Senior journalist Tabu Butagira argues that Uganda’s Otunnu entered him into the race relatively late, denying him opportunities that earlier candidates enjoyed, including participating in the United Nations General Assembly Town Hall sessions where contenders directly presented their visions to representatives of the organization’s 193 member states.
He also cites his age as another challenge. At 75 years old, Otunnu is the oldest among the seven declared contenders.
He is also the second African candidate after former Senegalese President Macky Sall, creating what Butagira describes as an intra-African contest at a time when the Secretary-General’s position is widely expected to rotate to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Security Council’s veto power
Even though the UN General Assembly formally elects the Secretary-General, the decisive stage occurs within the Security Council, where any of the five permanent members possesses veto powers capable of eliminating a candidate at any point.
Yet Butagira believes Otunnu possesses significant advantages that should not be underestimated.
His education at Oxford and Harvard places him within influential global networks comprising political leaders, diplomats, legal scholars and policymakers across Europe and North America.
These alumni connections, he argues, could provide access to influential lobbyists capable of shaping opinion within key capitals.
He also points to Otunnu’s continued engagement with multilateral institutions even after leaving his UN Under-Secretary-General position.
Unlike some former officials who disappear from international affairs after retirement, Otunnu has remained involved in assignments for the United Nations and other international organizations, keeping him closely connected to contemporary global challenges.
Butagira also suggests that geopolitical dynamics could unexpectedly work in Otunnu’s favour.
He argues that several rival candidates have attracted criticism over previous positions viewed unfavourably by influential Western governments.
Weak contenders
Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, for instance, has faced criticism over her handling of allegations involving Uyghurs during her tenure as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and over her criticism of the United States and Israel regarding conflicts in the Middle East.
Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Ecuador’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has also faced scrutiny over previous support for leaders such as Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, as well as voting positions on resolutions concerning Myanmar, Burundi, Syria and Belarus.
Meanwhile, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has reportedly attracted criticism over his approach toward Iran’s nuclear programme and his comments concerning Israeli and American military actions.
Macky Sall, despite enjoying African Union backing, has also encountered questions regarding the timing of Senegal’s endorsement and divisions surrounding his candidature.
These dynamics leave room for political realignments before Security Council voting begins.
Otunnu’s late nomination could indicate the existence of influential international actors seeking an alternative consensus candidate after assessing the current field.
President Museveni’s blessing
Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, has praised President Yoweri Museveni for rising above domestic political differences to support Otunnu’s nomination.
“Otunnu is a Ugandan; he did not need to politically agree with government to be seconded,” Ayebare said.
The endorsement is particularly notable given Otunnu’s years as one of Museveni’s leading political opponents.
Analysts believe this bipartisan national backing strengthens Uganda’s diplomatic message that Otunnu’s candidature transcends domestic politics and represents the country’s collective interest.
Academic observers likewise believe Otunnu possesses many of the qualities expected of a UN Secretary-General.
Otunnu’s strong points
Dr. Zahara Nampewo, Dean of the School of Law at Makerere University, describes him as refined, internationally experienced and capable of communicating effectively with diverse audiences.
She notes that his previous presidential campaign demonstrates political experience while government backing significantly enhances his legitimacy. Her main concern, however, remains the timing of his entry into the race.
Professor Julius Kiiza of Makerere University’s Department of Political Science agrees that Otunnu’s technical competence is beyond question.
He argues that international contests of this nature ultimately depend not only on qualifications but also on sustained diplomatic support from the candidate’s home government.
According to Kiiza, Uganda’s formal endorsement therefore represents an important prerequisite for any serious campaign.
Dr. Sam Kazibwe of Uganda Christian University, is of the view that Otunnu qualified for this post way back in the race of 1997. “He has been a representative of the UN, was a UN under-secretary-general, participated in many peace negotiations locally and internationally, and is well travelled and well exposed.”
Those observations capture the essence of Uganda’s campaign. Rather than presenting Otunnu merely as an accomplished Ugandan diplomat, Kampala is positioning him as a seasoned international civil servant whose experience covers nearly every dimension of the United Nations—from Security Council diplomacy and humanitarian protection to peacebuilding, academia and institutional reform.
Whether those credentials ultimately outweigh geopolitical calculations inside the Security Council remains uncertain.
But few would dispute that among the current contenders—including Michelle Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Macky Sall, Rebecca Grynspan and Maria Fernanda Espinosa—Olara Otunnu brings one of the deepest institutional memories of the United Nations itself.
For Uganda, that legacy forms the strongest argument that one of Africa’s most experienced diplomats is ready to lead the world’s most important multilateral organization into its next chapter.
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