The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
President Yoweri Museveni has challenged his new cabinet to look for investments, end corruption and move to total commercialization of agriculture in order to move the country to middle-income status.
He will outline his complete plan for this to be achieved when his new cabinet meets for the first time on Thursday. The new Uganda ministers were sworn at Entebbe State House on Tuesday, each taking an oath of allegiance and an oath of secrecy.
“On Thursday, I will convene the first cabinet meeting of this term where I will issue detailed instructions to each minister on what I expect of them,” Museveni said .
“We have set a good foundation for the country now in terms of roads, electricity, ICT, water and others. Uganda is now ready for take-off,” he boasted, adding that “when I hosted the outgone cabinet, I commended them for nearly taking Uganda to a middle-income country. This new cabinet must make that a reality.”
For the current 2016 fiscal year, low-income economies are defined as those with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method, of $1,045 or less in 2014;middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of more than $1,045 but less than $12,736; high-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $12,736.
Lower-middle-income and upper-middle-income economies are separated at a GNI per capita of $4,125.
Sworn in Tuesday were the Vice President, Prime Minister, 30 full ministers and 48 state ministers. Included are some members of the opposition, which Museveni said was done to create and maximize unity in the country.
“It’s why you see a few people from the opposition. I welcome these members and I hope they can win over more of their colleagues into working with us.”
Those from the opposition are Beti Kamya (Kampala Capital City Authority), Betty Amongi (Lands, Housing and Urban development), and Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi (State for Youth and Children affairs).
Ruth Achieng (State for fisheries) was withdrawn after much pressure from NRM members from her region.
Museveni thereafter hinted on areas that he will focus on with his new cabinet.
Aggressively look for investments
“For this to succeed, there must be no delays in decision-making, corruption must stop and we must work aggressively to lower cost of doing business. The railway will help us with this. Regulators must also be strict. Things like building in wetlands must stop.
Commercialize agriculture
“We must move to total commercialization of agriculture through Operation Wealth Creation. However, investments is not only in agriculture but industries too. Uganda must be industrialized. We can’t continue being a supermarket of goods from other countries.”
ICT, Science and innovation
“We have set up a fully-fledged ministry of Science and Innovation. This one will be tasked with nursing young innovations from our scientists. I have also congregated all communication and ICT sub-sectors into one ministry of Information and ICT. That ministry will have a full directorate of electronics.
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