President Museveni has warned public officials against divided loyalty, calling for a strict re-examination of Uganda’s dual citizenship legal framework while demanding an uncompromising stand against corruption.
Speaking on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at State House Entebbe during the swearing-in ceremony of three newly appointed ministers, Mr Museveni emphasized that individuals holding public trust must maintain unwavering commitment to the nation.
The newly sworn-in officials include Amb. Adonia Ayebare, who takes over as Minister of Foreign Affairs; Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, appointed Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development in charge of Micro-Finance; and Witonze Juma Kisekka, who assumes office as Minister of State for Internal Affairs.
Although President Museveni congratulated the new appointees, he quickly pivoted to pressing administrative and national policy matters, urging the ministers to prioritize eliminating corruption and systemic inefficiency within government departments through rigorous supervision and strict operational accountability.
The ceremony marked the end of months of delay for the trio following their appointments earlier in the year. Amb. Ayebare and Ms Musherure were appointed to the cabinet in May 2026, but their swearing-in was deliberately put on hold by the President to resolve legal scrutinies regarding dual citizenship status and ensure eligibility.
Meanwhile, Mr Witonze’s delay stemmed from a later nomination process. President Museveni named him to the cabinet after Parliament’s Appointments Committee rejected the original nominee for the Internal Affairs docket, Dr Lawrence Muganga, over his own unresolved multiple citizenship issues.
Addressing the central theme of his address-national identity, allegiance, and regional geopolitics-the 81-year-old leader questioned the current implementation of dual citizenship. He argued that the policy was originally a compassionate concession designed to accommodate Ugandans forced into political exile during the country’s turbulent past, rather than a permanent loophole for conflicting allegiances.
“On the issue of citizenship… we are going to have to clarify this issue very clearly,” Mr Museveni stated.
He recalled how historical conflicts, beginning with the 1966 Buganda crisis under Kabaka Mutesa II and subsequent political upheavals, forced waves of Ugandans to flee into neighboring states and abroad.
The President drew a firm line between the global Ugandan diaspora and citizens residing within neighboring East African states, asserting that dual citizenship should strictly apply to those in distant diaspora communities rather than adjacent countries.
“For the neighboring countries, logically, the dual citizenship does not apply… should not apply in my opinion. We should clarify it, that this one here is for the diaspora,” Mr Museveni noted.
Elaborating on regional integration, the President reiterated his long-standing advocacy for the political federation of the East African Community (EAC), challenging regional partners to pursue complete political unification rather than half-measures that compromise national sovereignty and civic loyalty.
“Now, we have been telling our neighbors that we should form the East African Federation. This is what we have been saying for the last 65 years. Let’s form the East African Federation. If you want us to be one citizenship, let’s have one country, what is the problem?” Mr Museveni argued.
Criticizing current citizenship overlaps across regional borders, the President described multi-state allegiances without political federation as irrational and detrimental to state security.
“You can’t say we continue having different kingdoms, then some of the kingdoms offload their citizens on another kingdom and then they continue with loyalty to the other kingdom. It’s not rational. It’s nonsensical,” he declared, adding that individuals must ultimately decide where their true allegiance lies.
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account shortly after the ceremony, the President reaffirmed his directive, urging the new cabinet members to maintain zero tolerance for graft while reiterating that the East African Federation remains the ultimate long-term solution to identity and integration challenges across the region.