Running mate for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the last two presidential elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has been appointed to head the Uganda Office of the African Development Bank (AFDB). The appointment was made last month and effective April 1. But according to AFDB policy, each staff is entitled to take special leave of absence. Dr Magatte Wade, Head, External Relations and Communications at the head office of the bank in Tunis, confirmed the appointment in response to an e-mail enquiry by the Ghanaian Times yesterday. He said, “Dr Bawumia will be Resident Representative of the Bank in the Uganda country office. He will co-ordinate and supervise the operations of the Bank in the country office for great portfolio efficiency and visibility on the ground”. This would be the second time that Dr Bawumia would pick up appointment with AFDB after unsuccessfully contesting to become the Vice-President on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in general elections in Ghana. Before accepting to partner Nana Akufo-Addo during the 2012 election, Dr Bawumia was the Resident Representative of the bank in the Zimbabwe country office. Dr Bawumia is the lead witness in the ongoing challenge to the 2012 presidential election results, brought by him and two other petitioners, NPP chairman Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and its presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo. At 49, Bawumia has had an accomplished career as an economist. After joining the Bank of Ghana in 2000, he rapidly rose to become Deputy Governor, a position he held until he entered active politics.