Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya is a Ugandan politician and physician who was Vice President of Uganda from 23 May 2003 until 23 May 2011. He has represented the constituency of Busiro County North in the Ugandan Parliament since 1996. His autobiography, Intricate Corridors to Power, was published in 2008.
Gilbert Bukenya was born on 5 August 1949, in the village of Lwantama in Kakiri sub-county, in Busiro County, in present-day Wakiso District, about 30 kilometres (19 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.
He was educated by the Brothers of Christian Instruction order in Uganda. He had his early education at St. Savio Primary School, Kisubi, St. Mary's College Kisubi, St. Edward Secondary School, Bukuumi and Old Kampala Secondary School.
Later, he joined Makerere University School of Medicine in 1971, graduating in 1976 with the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB). He worked as a Medical Officer at Mbale Hospital up to 1982 when he left Uganda for Papua New Guinea.
While outside Uganda, he obtained a Diploma in Public Health from the Royal Institute of Public Health, in London, in 1982. He also attained the degrees of Master of Science (MSc) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine UK, and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Queensland, with a thesis topic of The Epidemiology of Under-Five Childhood Diarrhoeas In A Peri-Urban Population of Papua New Guinea.