Three days after hitting back at veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda for declaring him ‘senile and incapable of judging right’, President Museveni on Tuesday evening outed the much-anticipated Cabinet lineup in which he retained or turned around several old guard, signalling the need for loyalty-based stability.
After weeks of kerfuffle by the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a group allied to the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, it was widely anticipated that about a dozen stalwarts of the outfit would be appointed to key positions.
However, there were almost imperceptible cues in the Cabinet lineup. A reshuffle speaking to the same is also possible in two or so years.
About dozen ministers retained or bounced back have historical links to the National Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M); are early converts to the party; have blood links to the First Family or other historicals; have special relations; or, are affiliated to special interest groups such as the case of Dr Lawrence Muganga, a Ugandan- born academic of Rwandan descent, who was named as State minister for Internal Affairs.
Inexplicably, Dr Muganga, who has variously championed the plight of Banyarwanda Ugandans who often accuse immigration officials at the same ministry of denying them national identity cards and passports, was in September 2021 arrested by then Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence on espionage claims at the time of the diplomatic fallout between Kampala and Kigali.
The offsprings
The Cabinet lineup also has a trace of political inheritance – rewarding political offspring, and children of insiders, a continuity of the patronage system.
During the 2021 State-of-Nation Address, plans were underway for descendants of the NRA 1, ‘who speak exotic accent’ and ‘have no home poverty pressures’ to occupy strategic government positions and take the country forward.
The proclamation drew furor from a section of political leaders, while in general, discussions on the political transition remain too sensitive a topic, especially inside NRM, even as PLU has been openly crusading for Gen Kainerugaba.
The descendants include, Koboko Municipality MP Dr Charles Ayume, who was named State minister for Primary Health Care; former Mawogola North MP Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, who was named State minister for Micro-Finance; Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere as State minister for Local Government; and Musa Siraji Ali, son to Adjumani West MP Gen Moses Ali, as State minister for Works.
Excess baggage
There is not much to cheer about the new Cabinet lineup, and it is not much different from the last Cabinet, which the President once labelled as ‘fisher men’, which concluded its term in early May.
Still from the old Cabinet, more than 25 ministers were dropped, out of whom three, including Ruth Nankabirwa, Francsis Mwebesa and Evelyn Anite, alongside Hamson Obua, who lost his Ajuri County parliamentary seat, were named senior presidential advisors ‘in the different fields that will be communicated later’.
Without political constituencies, the quartet likely felt like excess baggage in the Cabinet, where appointment serves a purpose or interest group.
Ms Anite, who lost the Koboko Municipality seat to Dr Ayume in 2021, came to prominence after supporting President Museveni’s ‘sole candidature in 2014 ahead of the 2016 elections.
She was named State minister for Youth and Children Affairs in 2015, and in 2016, reassigned as State minister of Finance for Investment and Privatisation until Tuesday.
Ms Nankabirwa, a veteran politician, was named Energy Minister in 2021 even after she had lost her Kiboga Woman MP seat.
Unfortunately for her, other than Mr Richard Kaijuka and Ms Irene Muloni, the President has not maintained an Energy minister for more than five years.
More so, the sector is at a critical juncture of preparing for first oil later next year, while the electricity sub-sector is in turmoil.
Dr Monica Musenero Musanza was reassigned from the Ministry of Science and Technology to replace Ms Nankabirwa. Not having or having a political constituency is not the only consideration.
Gen Ali, a key figure in Uganda’s military since the Amin government, was dropped ostensibly on health grounds.
Outgoing Finance minister Matia Kasaija, 82, retired and was replaced by his junior Rubanda East MP Henry Musasizi.
On the outside, Mr Kasaija harped about his stamina-that he read the lengthy budget speeches of four financial years without any break, and peppered with jokes-but insiders said he had started slowing down.
Gen Jeje Odongo, who reclaimed his Amuria County MP seat, was hounded out of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with his two juniors: Henry Oryem Okello, who first lost his MP seat in 2021, and John Mulimba, who lost his Samia Bugwe County North MP seat in the just-concluded polls.
The last five years at Foreign Affairs have been topsy-turvy, peppered with scandals.
Where is AAA?
The conspicuous absence of the former Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Annet Among, is not entirely surprising, ostensibly due to her woes, even as President Museveni is famous for ‘rehabilitating’ or ‘forgiving’ adversaries, a tool he has used to consolidate power.
Since the Sixth Parliament was sworn in on July 2, 1996, it is the first time that a former Speaker has not been given a soft landing.
James Wapakhabulo, dubbed Uganda’s best-ever Speaker of Parliament, who was pushed out in 1998 for being too uncompromising, was pushed to the back burner as the National Political Commissar of the Movement.
Francis Ayume, who completed Wapakabulo’s term in office, was named Attorney General in 2001.
Mr Edward Ssekandi was made Vice President, while Ms Rebecca Kadaga was in 2021 named First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs, a position she retained in the Tuesday lineup.
Two weeks ago, the Bukedea Woman MP and erstwhile Speaker of the 11th Parliament, who attempted to be the pulsing human ID of the ruling party, was cut down to size through a massive anti-corruption operation that saw raids on her property in Kampala and upcountry.
The Inspectorate of Government, too, swung in with a probe into claims of illicit enrichment and unexplained opulence. Her perceived presidential ambitions are what reportedly landed her in hot water.
A delicate balancing act!
The Cabinet, established by Article 111 of the Constitution and headed by the President, is the apex body of government.
Its functions range from policy making, administration, and decision-making within their Ministries.
A reshuffle means changing the office holders, a prerogative of the President. It is usually the chance to take out the deadweight, average performers, the corrupt, and other considerations, as the appointing authority may see fit.
For President Museveni, 82, the considerations range from particularly loyalty-based stability, regional balancing, interests of religion, and other special interests.
There are at least seven Muslim ministers, while two ministers of Karamoja Affairs hail from the sub-region.
With the Legislative branch led by two males, President Museveni retained both Katakwi District Woman MP Jessica Alupo and Kakumiro District Woman MP Robinah Nabbanja, as Vice President and Prime Minister, respectively, signalling loyalty-based management.
He also retained his wife, Ms Janet Museveni, who was last seen in public on March 19, as the minister of Education and Sports; Mayuge District Woman MP Lukia Nakadama as Third Deputy Premier and Minister without Portfolio; Budiope West MP Milly Babalanda as Minister of the Office of the President; Rujumbura MP Jim Muhwezi as minister for Security; Kampala MP Minsa Kabanda as minister for Kampala; and Kibaale East MP Frank Tumwebaze as minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
Others are Laroo-Pece Division MP Norbert Mao as minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs; Ruhinda MP Kahinda Otafiire as Minister for Water and Environment; and Mr Tom Butime as Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
Bouncing back are Mityana District Woman MP Judith Nabakooba, as Minister of Lands, and Bukonzo West MP Dr Crispus Kiyonga, a NRM historical, who was named Second Deputy Prime Minister, and Rukungiri Municipality MP Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde as minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Mr Tumukunde vied for the presidency in the 2021 elections and has relations with the First Family.
Loyalty-based stability
In a post on the microblogging site, X on February 4, Gen Muhoozi described Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the outgoing minister of ICT and National Guidance, as a ‘traitor’ and vowed, ‘will never be minister again.’
Dr Baryomunsi, the MP for Kinkizi County East, shot back saying: ‘I rose from obscurity to where am (sic) because of my abilities not favours from anybody.’
The duo traded several barbs stemming from the government communicating in opposite directions over the fate of National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine.
Considering how some of Gen Muhoozi’s proclamations, including being the first to announce and endorse the West Budama Central MP Jacob Marksons Oboth as the next Speaker of Parliament in place of Ms Among, have come to pass, no one saw Dr Baryomunsi make the list.
Rather, he was reassigned to the Ministry of Health, where he previously served as State Minister of Health for General Duties from March 2015 to June 2016. Dr Baryomunsi replaced Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, who will replace him at the Ministry of ICT.
Also, with the CDF recently vowing control of the budget for roads in Kampala and to crackdown on corruption in the road construction and repair, President Museveni evacuated Gen Katumba Wamala from the Works and Transport docket to the Ministry of Public Service.
Not that Gen Wamala, a former Inspector General of Police from 2001 to 2005 and CDF from 2013 to 2017, was directly supervising road construction.
Rather, according to some sources, any crackdown, whenever it happens, on staff under his docket would mean ‘a clash of two generals’ and ”bad optics’.
Gen Wamala was replaced by Mr Fred Byamukama, who was elevated from State minister of Transport.
Insiders describe Mr Byamukama as an affable person, but yet to prove if he can handle the cabal in roads construction, some of whom are deemed untouchables and or have political godfathers.
At the Ministry of Public Service, Gen Wamala replaced Mr Wilson Muruli Mukasa, who had held the docket since 2016. Mr Miruli was dropped in the Tuesday lineup.
The reassignment of Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, fondly known as KK, as Attorney General, the government’s chief legal adviser, to the Ministry of Defence, replacing Jacob Oboth, who was elected House Speaker, is subject to multiple interpretations.
He was perhaps the most powerful Attorney General in a long time after Mr Amama Mbabazi when he was widely known by the moniker ‘Super Minister.’
For Mr Kiwanuka, it could be interpreted as a relegation, or that he was sent to another powerful docket.