The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Move on Kadaga
Museveni appointed former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga as First Deputy Prime Minister and if she appears for vetting, will have made a major concession after suffering defeat in the election of Speaker. Kadaga allegedly said the vice president position is a low hanging fruit she cannot settle for before she was defeated by her former deputy Jacob Oulanyah in the race for Speaker.
If she accepts the position, not only will she be way below vice president, but she will also report to Prime Minister Nabbanja who is regarded her junior politically. As Speaker, Kadaga chaired the Appointments Committee of Parliament which in January 2020 deferred the vetting of Nabbanja as minister of state for health citing queries on her academic credentials.
Meanwhile Kadaga in her designated position replaces Ali Kirunda Kivejinja who died last year. The two hail from the same Busoga region. Joining her from the same area, in the Third Deputy Prime Minister position is Lukia Nakadama who bounced back to parliament as Mayuge Woman MP.
Museveni dropped longtime comrade Sam Kutesa who helmed foreign affairs for sixteen years. Kutesa was dogged by corruption scandals and rumoured travel bans making his continued stay in the position untenable for Museveni and the government at large, analysts said.
Another casualty was Gen. Elly Tumwine, who as minister of security had a knack for callous and irresponsible statements sometimes to the embarrassment of his cabinet colleagues. The same category of those dropped includes Edward Ssekandi, Ruhakana Rugunda, Amelia Kyambadde, Ephraim Kamuntu, Godfrey Kiwanda, Sarah Opendi and many others. Rugunda was appointed Special Envoy in the Office of the President.
Museveni brought new faces to cabinet some who were most active in the races for speaker and deputy speaker. Margaret Muhanga, Oulanya’s chief campaigner as minister of state for primary health care, Jacob Oboth Oboth as minister of state for defence and Thomas Tayebwa as Government Chief Whip.
Ruth Nankabirwa who was vehemently anti-Kadaga was appointed minister for energy and mineral development. Other notable new faces include Francis Mwebesa, Mbarara businessman, as minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
Fishing from FDC
Yet again, Museveni fished from the erstwhile largest opposition party in Uganda, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). What started as a breakaway faction from the Movement party, FDC has now become a feeder for the ruling party; National Resistance Movement (NRM) and an extension of Museveni’s patronage network.
From Maj. (Rtd) Rubaramira Ruranga to Anita Among, Beti Kamya, Beatrice Anywar and now Joyce Ssebugwawo, Museveni has exercised regional balance while poaching from a party that appeared a formidable threat to the NRM since the return of multiparty politics in 2005. That threat seems neutralised now, a new one having entered the scene notwithstanding.
Museveni appointed Ssebugwawo, who was most recently FDC vice president for Buganda region, minister of state for ICT. FDC has called for a crisis meeting over the matter. When Museveni revealed that he was talking with FDC members after the race for Speaker three weeks ago, it was taken lightly but the effects of that have now sent the party soul searching. Ssebugwawo goes way back with party founder Kizza Besigye and was a pillar of Besigye’s first presidential run in 2001.
When FDC president Patrick Amuriat launched his presidential campaign in 2020, Ssebugwawo became acting party president but unbeknown to FDC stalwarts, Museveni emissaries had reached out to the former Lubaga Divison mayor luring her to NRM.
“FDC is free entry and free exit,” said Nandala Mafabi, the party secretary general when asked about Ssebugwawo’s exit. In 2016, Museveni appointed Kamya as minister for Kampala although at the time she had already broken ranks with FDC. Anywar, a former Kitgum Woman MP, who made a name as an environmental activist announced her exit formally from the FDC when in 2017 she voted for the removal of the age limit in the constitution to enable President Museveni run again.
Two years later, Museveni rewarded her with a ministerial appointment in charge of environment. She has retained the position. FDC facing criticism for laughing off its defections responded on its Twitter page: “It’s not FDC, It is transactional politics we can’t compete with…We are a political party with rules unlike NRM that practices transactional politics.”
Amuriat, the party president, also surprised some when he welcomed the appointment of Alupo as vice president. Ordinarily, the party does not officially recognise the government. Amuriat was reported to have challenged Alupo to use her new found influence to help the people of Teso benefit and not just sing Museveni’s praises. He claimed the appointment was a result of him, a political figure from the region running for president.
In appointing his sixth elective term cabinet, Museveni possibly sought to balance many factors including age, rewarding supportive regions and luring opponents as usual.
“When I was compiling my cabinet list, I was operating underground alone. This is one area where I don’t need assistance. This is a fantastic and pleasant job. I have to look at religion, region, tribe,” he said.
Museveni asked the NRM parliamentary caucus to approve one more ministerial position to bring the number of ministers to 80. He however asked for one more position for the elderly and left the slot of Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs empty.
Analysts however say that the President should focus on bolstering the civil service led by permanent secretaries in ministries, directors and commissioners who carry out the bulk of government work as opposed to ministers who are responsible for political direction in the ministries.
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