With a year left to the 2021 general election, Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni has throw some of his ministers under the bus and ushered to the eating table some of his zealots who were long promised that hardwork pays.
This was the first reshuffle in the term that saw among other things Presidential age limits scrapped to allow Uganda’s President of 34 years, stay in power beyond the 75 year age cap.
And the biggest beneficiary of new cabinet is Raphael Magyezi, the architect of the No Age limit amendment. He is the new Local Governments cabinet Minister, once reserved for the heavy weights such as Bidandi Ssali in the hey days of Museveni’s era. Museveni proves that those who put their career on the line for him are rewarded.
Though this cannot be said of former policeman Simeo Nsubuga, now MP from Kasanda who had self appointed himself as the spokesman of No Age limit and a Museveni zealot. However, people like Nsubuga such as Investments minister Evelyn Anite kicked the window into cabinet for fronting the Sole Candidature of Museveni against the schemes of the then prime minister Amama Mbabazi who wanted to challenge for president in 2016 on the NRM ticket.
The biggest shock in the Saturday evening Cabinet announcement is Judith Nabakooba, the Mityana district MP and former police spokeswoman who has been handed the Information and Communications technology docket.
When news of her appointment came through, a Judith Nabakooba Twitter account was created, the first of its kind on the platform, and we are not sure if it’s official anyway. But it says a lot of the new minister to spearhead the fast growing sector which requires expertise. Nabakooba will be deputised by Peter Ogwang also a novice minister like her self and without ICT background. However, the youthfulness of this duo, and their contacts in the media industry, could come in handy.
Dropped
Possibly the biggest falls were of Irene Muloni (Energy), Monica Azuba Ntege (Works), and Janat Mukwaya (Gender). Mukwaya, a long time minister in several cabinets and her face represents Luwero fighters. The other fall is of Charles Bakabulindi, who had become the Do-Nothing fixture on the sports scene.
The appointment of Hudson Obua bring youthfulness and fresh air in sector span with lots of corruption controversies but Bakabulindi seemed co-opted into it’s mess and had become the poster-boy of sports failures.
In Obua, Mr Museveni appeases the sports fraternity and rewards northern Uganda with another minister.
Aidah Nantaba, will not be missed. Anyway, what has she been doing? Since she came into ICT as junior minister, Nantaba has been a no show, and she is better known for her fights and struggles with people she calls ‘mafias’ after her life than policy making in ICT, and possibly she has appeared on very few ICT related events as she deemed herself to be facing a high security risk while out there.
For those who love drama and satire, Hajj Abdul Nadduli will be missed. Nadduli represented ‘we also want to eat’ Museveni supporters and possibly he has served his purpose.
Speaking of northern Uganda, Kitgum district woman MP Beatrice Anywar has been rumoured to be on the road to cabinet for years now, despite being one of the popular faces in the opposition of yesteryears. Now she reaches home, and in the environment docket that her name is most familiar with.
The rest of changes in cabinet were minor and a routine which won’t bring anything new but continue Museveni’s legacy into the general elections.
*DROPPED FROM CABINET*
1. Hajji Abdul Naduli
2. Idah Nantaba
3. Irene Muloni
4.Janet Mukwaya
5.Alex Onzima
*NEW APPOINTMENTS TO CABINET*
1.Raphael Magezi
2.Judith Nabakoba
3.Jackson Kafuzi
4.Beatrice Anywar
5.Peter Ogwang
6.Robinah Nabanja
7. Molly Kamukama
8.Denis Obua
9.Keneth Omona
10.Moses Kizige
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