{{short description|Ugandan politician}} {{Infobox person | name = Gabriel Opio | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1945|11|9|df=yes}} | birth_place = Uganda | death_date = | death_place = | alma_mater =Makerere University<br/> {{small|(Bachelor of Arts)}}<br/>University of Alberta<br/>{{small|(Master of Arts)}}<br/>University of British Columbia<br/>{{small|(Master of Science)}} | occupation = Economist, politician | years_active = 1983 — present | citizenship = Uganda | known_for = Politics | networth = | title = }}
'''Gabriel Opio''' (born 9 November 1945) is a Ugandan economist and politician. He was the Minister of Gender, Labor & Social Development in the Cabinet of Uganda from 16 February 2009 to 27 May 2011.<ref name=New>{{cite web |url=http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/671730 |title=Full Cabinet List As of February 2009 |date=16 February 2009 |access-date=11 December 2014 |newspaper=New Vision (Kampala) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213214754/http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/671730 |archive-date=13 February 2015 }}</ref> Before his service at the Gender Ministry, he served as the State Minister for Higher Education from June 2006 to February 2009.<ref name=Mukasa>{{cite web|url=http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/501695 |title=Ministries Allocated |date=2 June 2006 |access-date=11 December 2014 |last=Mukasa |first=Henry |newspaper=New Vision (Kampala) |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211112501/http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/501695 |archive-date=11 December 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Hajusu">{{cite web | url=http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/17/559944 | title=Minister Opio Advises On Universal Secondary Education | date=15 April 2007 | accessdate=11 December 2014 | newspaper=New Vision (Kampala) | first=Egessa | last=Hajusu | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930101055/http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/17/559944 | archive-date=30 September 2015 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Early life and education== Opio was born on 9 November 1945. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Makerere University, Uganda's oldest university. His degree of Master of Arts in Economics was obtained from the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He also holds the degree of Master of Science in Finance from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.<ref>[http://www.parliament.go.ug/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=37 Academic Qualifications of Gabriel Opio]</ref>
==Career== Between 1993 and 1996, he served as a member of the National Resistance Council for Samia-Bugwe constituency in Tororo District. In 1996, he was elected to the Ugandan Parliament, representing Samia-Bugwe South in the newly created Busia District. In 1999, he was appointed State Minister for Finance, responsible for planning and investments,<ref>{{cite web | title=Uganda: Gabriel Opio ... A Man With A Mission | accessdate=11 December 2014 | date=12 May 2000 | newspaper=The Sowetan (Johannesburg) via AllAfrica.com | url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200005120137.html | first=Claire | last=Keeton}}</ref> serving in that position until 2001 when he lost his parliamentary seat to Simon Mayende.
Between 2002 and 2006, Opio served in various capacities, including as Director of National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Director of Centenary Bank, and Commissioner of the Uganda AIDS Commission.<ref>[http://www.parliament.go.ug/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=37 Work History of Gabriel Opio]</ref> He served as the State Minister for Higher Education from June 2006 to February 2009,<ref name=Mukasa/><ref name="Hajusu"/> and as Minister of Gender, Labor & Social Development from 16 February 2009 to 27 May 2011.<ref name=New/>
In the national election cycle of 2011, he lost his parliamentary seat of Samia-Bugwe South to Julius Wandera Maganda, an independent political candidate. In the cabinet reshuffle of 27 May 2011, he was dropped from the Cabinet and replaced by Syda Bbumba.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150208384704078&comments | title=Comprehensive List of New Cabinet Appointments And Dropped Ministers|date=27 May 2011 | publisher=New Vision | via=Facebook | accessdate=11 December 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/501695/Opio Full Ministerial Cabinet List, June 2006]{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[http://newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/671730/Opio Full Ministerial Cabinet List, February 2009]{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150208384704078&comments Full Ministerial Cabinet List, May 2011] *[http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Education/-/688336/937814/-/11i7tss/-/index.html New Gender Course Launched] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235549/http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Education/-/688336/937814/-/11i7tss/-/index.html |date=2016-03-03 }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Opio, Gabriel}} Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:People from Busia District, Uganda Category:Politicians from Eastern Region, Uganda Category:Makerere University alumni Category:Ugandan economists Category:Samia people Category:Government ministers of Uganda Category:Members of the 8th Parliament of Uganda Category:National Resistance Movement politicians