Uganda’s Fountain of Honour and the Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) President on Thursday 21st March, 2024 carried out a mini Cabinet reshuffle where two Ministers were dropped, others transferred and posted to different portfolios.
Major casualties in the reshuffle were former Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mary Gorreti Kitutu and her deputy, Agnes Nandutu who were dropped from the cabinet all together. This was not surprising, considering that the Sabalwanyi had earlier promised to deal politically with those ministers found culpable in the saga.
Kitutu was replaced by veteran Peter Lokeris, formerly Minister of State for Minerals. This appointment puts to rest the agitation by Karamoja leaders who questioned President Museveni’s decision of handing their docket to non-tribe mates.
Even if the State Ministry went back to Bugisu in the appointment of Florence Nambozo, the Karamoja leaders can now have peace of mind that the person in charge knows Karamoja problems and has empathy for the region’s inhabitants.
President Museveni’s decision to drop the Ministers directly in charge of Karamoja Affairs is also a message to prosecuting organs to let go other Ministers who were implicated in the scandal by way of illegally receiving the iron sheets. We could easily see the Matia Kasaija’s, Lugoolobi and others walk out scot-free.
Meanwhile, the appointment of General Kainerugaba Muhoozi as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) has all symptoms of a deliberate effort to curtail the operations of Patriotic League of Uganda. Muhoozi is the Principal in this movement and his appointment as CDF means he has neither time nor legal basis to continue traversing the country politicking.
Although another analyst pointed out the fact that President Museveni had severally complained of corruption in the UPDF especially after the Somalia massacre of UPDF AMISOM troops stationed there for Peace keeping purposes. And this was the time Maj. General Mbadi was CDF.
To compound the move, President Museveni picked out the ringleaders in the PLU movement, the political novice, Balaam Baruhagara as Minister of State Youth and Children under the Ministry of Labour, Gender and Social Development and Lillian Aber as Minister of State (OPM) Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees.
The duo will now have their time and energies directed towards management of their Ministerial dockets than promoting the activities of PLU.
The other issue President Museveni has probably put to rest in this reshuffle is the censure of Persis Namuganza by Parliament.
Immediately after the censure, many MPs expected the coy Namuganza to be dropped by the President but he didn’t. Her retention in a cabinet reshuffle where others have been dropped means President Museveni has told Parliament to go to hell in as far as Namuganza issue is concerned.
She retains her position as Minister of State for Lands, Housing and Urban Development (Housing).
New appointments include the elevation of Oboth Markson to full Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Nyamutoro Phiona appointed Minister of State for Energy and Minerals Development (Minerals), Lydia Wanyoto, Vincent Ssempija Grace Kwiyucwiny and Harriet Ntabazi as Senior Presidential Advisors.
Asio Omaswa was appointed Principal Private Secretary to the President replacing Dr. Kenneth Omona who has been appointed Minister of State for Northern Uganda.
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