The State Minister for Internal Affairs designate, Mr Juma Witonze Kisekka, has promised to unreservedly deploy his full energies to the benefit of ‘all Ugandans’ once he formally assumes office.
In his brief remarks delivered at Parliament minutes after interfacing with the Appointments Committee of Parliament, Mr Witonze pledged not to disappoint the trust of the appointing authority, President Museveni. He also acknowledged that the new role on his hands will not be easy.
‘A lot is waiting, and there is a hard task ahead. I promise that I am a minister for all Ugandans and I will serve Ugandans,’ Mr Witonze told journalists at Parliament right after exiting the appointment committee room.
He added, ‘President Museveni, I can’t thank him enough because I have been [involved] in mobilisation for my [political] party and I can’t believe that among the [nearly] 50 million Ugandans, he chose me to go and serve in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.’
It is against this background that he pledged to wholly deliver on his mandate immediately he takes the oath.
‘So, I am so grateful, and I promise not to let him down. So I am ready to serve, and the sky is the limit,’ Mr Witonze vowed.
Mr Witonze’s appointment to the said position, as announced on Monday (July, 27), was made to replace Mr Lawrence Muganga, whose nomination was rejected for allegedly holding multiple citizenship.
Until the time he was vetted by the appointment committee chaired by the House Speaker, Mr Jacob Oboth-Oboth, Mr Witonze served as the Vice Chairperson for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for Gomba District.
He is also the Greater Mpigi regional coordinator for the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a political pressure outfit overseen by the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
His appointment comes at a time when the Ministry of Internal Affairs is pressed with a litany of challenges clogging up various entities under the ministry’s supervision, which, among others, include the Uganda Police Force, whose irregularities have to be addressed by the incoming minister.
When quizzed on the agenda on this, Mr Witonze declined to share his plans on how he intends to cure irregularities clogged in the internal affairs ministry, which among others include pronounced cases of human rights violations and forced disappearances of persons.
‘I believe when I take office, I will be ready to look at the files to see what has been happening. I think I will see what to do because I haven’t been to the office and I can’t tell you what is there,’ Mr Witonze said.