Museveni’s next cabinet

Awori, however, explained the significance of appointing opposition politicians for Museveni. He said it starts with assessing where the main opposition threat is. If you look at that parliament today, he said, the loudest are the youth. So, if you want to ‘detooth’ the youth, you just make 50 percent of cabinet youths and get all the top opposition leaders.

“Get a person like Bobi Wine and appoint him minister of education,” he said.

Then, he explained, through the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Museveni can instigate revolts against him and deny him resources.

Alternatively, when Museveni offers the appointment and an opposition politician turns it down, Museveni can tell voters that the politician “is “afraid of responsibility.”

As an example, Awori cited Beti Kamya, the current Minister for Kampala. Awori says Kamya, a founder and president of the Uganda Federal Alliance, was brought in to work closely with Jennifer Musisi (the KCCA executive director) in fighting opposition politicians in the city leadership, including Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.

“None of this has happened,” Awori says, “unfortunately, when you are inside and you attempt to speak out, you will be labeled anti-government and an opportunist.”

As debate rages about likely new entrants, stakes are equally high for those inside. In the last reshuffle, Museveni dropped 35 ministers and appointed almost 40 new ones.

Newcomers like Evelyn Anite, the Northern Uganda Youth MP, were rewarded for moving a motion to declare Museveni the sole candidate for the ruling party ahead of the 2016 elections. She became Minister for Investment. Ndorwa East MP David Bahat also ended up the State Minister of Finance for Planning on the same reward ticket.

This time, the winners will be those with something to offer Museveni in his effort to get re-elected come 2021.

NRM Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa, West Budama legislator and the chairperson, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Jacob Oboth-Oboth and Igara West legislator, Raphael Magyezi, look set to be rewarded this time. They pushed through the controversial lifting of the age limit so that Museveni could run in 2021.