Leadership Spotlight: Meet the UPAVA Committee, 2025 – 2027
Meet the President
Dr. Michael Muleme serves as the President of the Uganda the Pearl of Africa Victoria Association (UPAVA) for the 2025–2027 term, having previously held the role of Secretary since 2019.
With a deep passion for community development and social justice, Michael has served on the boards of various community organizations in Victoria. He brings a wealth of strategic and operational leadership experience to UPAVA, fostering initiatives that empower and uplift communities.
Professionally, Michael is an epidemiologist within Victoria’s public health system. He uses his professional knowledge to integrate health messaging and programs into community engagement strategies. His work reflects a commitment to improving public health outcomes of communities through collaboration and education.
Beyond his professional and leadership roles, Michael enjoys music, gardening, interior design, and reading. A dedicated educator, he also shares knowledge through teaching. He plays the bass guitar and maintains a backyard garden, growing vegetables and fruits for his family.
Michael is married to Linda, and together they are blessed with four children (Aaron, Ezra, Caleb and Jotham). Their household is further enriched by five cherished backyard chickens, who are considered treasured members of the family.
Meet the Vice President
Mr. Dan Kisumbi will serve as the Vice President of the Uganda the Pearl of Africa Victoria Association (UPAVA) for the 2025–2027 term for a second term. Dan has been a board member of the association since 2017.
Dan grew up in the Caribbean and then spent his early adult life in the UK before finally settling in Australia in 2010, with many trips back home in between. He works as an Executive managing Disability and Aged Care companies and has two children, Sahara, aged 15, and Isaac, aged 12.
Dan has a strong interest in geopolitics, Pan-Africanism, and history, emphasizing his passion for ensuring that youth maintain their links to Africa and contribute to its advancement as they take on future leadership roles. He is deeply committed to UPAVA and its mission of maintaining and strengthening bonds within the Ugandan community.
Meet the Secretary
Mr. Diplock Bamutya is a distinguished social scientist deeply specialized in social work. He has notably served on the Electoral Commission of the Uganda Pearl of Africa Victoria Association (UPAVA), where his expertise and integrity significantly influenced past electoral processes.
Professionally, Mr. Diplock’s contributions transcend social work, impacting humanitarian efforts and mental health significantly. He is the principal director and founder of Kkuza Children’s Foundation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enhancing children’s lives through educational support, healthcare access, and child safety programs. Additionally, the foundation empowers youth, women, and the elderly by providing life skills training and mobilizing community resources for sustainable development.
Outside of his professional realm, Mr. Diplock enjoys a diverse array of interests. He is an avid rugby fan, a dedicated writer, and engages in various hobbies that broaden his knowledge and maintain his physical fitness.
Meet the Assistant Secretary
Mr. Solomon Ssettimba is a dedicated and committed member of the community, having previously served as Assistant Treasurer. Well-versed in the operations of the UPAV Association, he has been an active part of the team for the past two years and has graciously accepted the role of Assistant Secretary for this tenure.
Professionally, Solomon is a highly skilled and passionate Critical Care Registered Nurse with a deep commitment to lifelong learning. He recently completed his Postgraduate Intensive Care studies and currently works in the Intensive Care Unit at Warringal Private Hospital.
Beyond his professional career, Solomon is a well-rounded athlete with a strong passion for sports. He actively participates in a variety of activities, including soccer, tennis, table tennis, ice skating, and swimming.
Solomon is happily married to Cissy, who recently joined him in Australia. Together, they make a wonderful couple.
Meet the Treasurer
Dr. Vincent Ssemaganda is an applied mathematician working in the automotive industry focusing on demand and supply forecasting and reporting. He has previously served as a treasurer on various committees, including UPAVA. He is very grateful to serve his community once again.
Vincent is very passionate about his cultural heritage. He is one of the directors of the Pearl Afrikulture Rhythms, a dynamic dance group founded out of a deep passion for connecting with identity through the creative arts, music, dance, and drama. He is also heavily involved in community sports currently managing the Victoria Cranes soccer team, aka the Sunday Veterans.
His hobbies include playing soccer, table tennis, and listening to music. Occasionally, Vincent plays piano at home, a passion he developed during the COVID-19 lockdown. He is married to Olivia, and they are blessed with four lovely children.
Meet the Assistant Treasurer
Mr Nicholas Ochom will serve as the Assistant Treasurer of Uganda the Pearl of Africa Victoria Association (UPAVA) for the 2025–2027 term. Nick served as UPAVA treasurer from 2023-2025. Nick is a finance and accounting professional within the disability sector and brings a wealth of experience in finance and accounting to the team.
His hobbies include listening to music, jogging, and watching sports, with a particular passion for soccer, footy (as a dedicated Cats supporter), tennis, and athletics.
Additionally, he actively volunteers with Little Athletics Mentone and has strong ties with his local church community as well as FOCUS, an international student club at Monash University.
Meet the Publicity Secretary
Mr. John Baptist Gibboyi will serve as the Publicity Secretary for the Uganda Pearl of Africa Victoria Association (UPAVA) from 2025 to 2027.
A dedicated community leader, John was a founding member of The Eastern & Central Africa Communities of Victoria Inc. (EACACOV) in 2000, an organisation that united African Australians in Victoria. He served as General Secretary and Committee Member before EACACOV transitioned to African Communities Foundation Australia Inc. (ACFA) in 2012, where he continued his service as a Board Member.
John also played a pivotal role in the founding of the Uganda Association of Victoria in 2004, which later transitioned to Uganda the Pearl of Africa Victoria Association (UPAVA) in 2013. His strong ties extend beyond Victoria, as he maintains close connections with interstate Ugandan community organisations and was a founding member of the Uganda Interstate Games and Sports, held annually over the long Easter weekend. Professionally, John is an IT professional with extensive experience in the corporate sector. He enjoys a simple, humble, private life and has a go-to personality.
He is a married father of five adult children. John has positive, in-depth insights about the Ugandan communities in the Australian diaspora and will work with everyone to promote our community activities and events, to ensure accurate and timely information dissemination, and to maintain our positive social media and public communications, among other things.
Meet our Ordinary Board Member -1
Ms Olivia Kitooke Nakazibwe is filled with gratitude to serve as one of the two UPAVA elected ordinary committee members. Olivia is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse working with Western Health. She is passionate about promoting mental health and well-being as well as empowering immigrant African Women and their families. Therefore, besides working as a mental health professional, she engages in various grassroots community entities to empower individuals.
Uplifting the same goal, Olivia serves as a BiCultural Work Rights Ambassador. She is the Director & Co-founder of Afro Pearls Empowering Women & Families Inc, a grassroots organisation that aims at empowering Ugandan Families through its programs. Olivia is a recent finalist nominee as an Empowerment Champion of the 2025 Appreciate Her Awards. Her purposeful living is to contribute to a positive impact in her community and she looks forward to doing so as she serves at the UPAVA committee
Her hobbies are going out, shopping, travelling, adventuring with like-minded friends and spending time with family. Her bucket list is to travel to historical and famous places around the world. Her desire is to learn to like reading and research because she believes knowledge is power.
Olivia is married to Dr. Vincent Ssemaganda and together they have been blessed with four beautiful children (Darin, Daniela, Daphine & David).
Meet our Ordinary Board Member – 2
Mrs. Stella Nakato Proctor will serve as the second UPAVA elected ordinary committee member. Stella is a philanthropist who is deeply devoted to God and family. She is committed to bringing warmth and love to the community, highlighting her free-spirited and compassionate nature.
Professionally, she works in Social Work, including Alcohol and Other Drugs, Mental Health, as well as Child Protection and Family Violence support services.
