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Leadership Reshuffle: President Museveni Appoints Son As Army Commander, Mbadi Posted to Cabinet, Nandutu And Kitutu Dropped As Balam Goes To Gender Ministry.
Two females have been dropped with an Iron Sheets diversion saga record while others who were implicated in the saga have been retained.
By Ivan Kaahwa
The Chief of Defence Forces, General Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, has been appointed State Minister for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives incharge of Trade, replacing Harriet Ntabaazi, who has been posted as Senior Presidential Advisor.
Patriotic League of Uganda Leader General Muhoozi Kainerugaba has been appointed the Chief of Defence Forces replacing Wilson Mbasu Mbadi while Lt. Gen. Peter Elweru who has been serving as Deputy CDF has been Appointed Senior Presidential Advisor.
Balam Barugahara has been appointed Minister of State for Gender, Labour, and Social Development in charge of Youth and Children Affairs, replacing Nyirabashitsi Sarah Mateke, who has been posted to the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, in charge of Defence.
Persis Namuganza is maintained in the cabinet as Minister of State for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, in charge of Housing, despite a previous clash with Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among.
Vincent Sempijja has been posted as a Senior Presidential Advisor and replaced by Jacob Oboth Oboth as Cabinet Minister for Defence. Oboth has been elevated from State Minister to Cabinet Minister in the same Ministry.
Goretti Kitutu has been dropped and replaced by Peter Lokeris as Minister for Karamoja Affairs; Goretti Kitutu leaves with a shabby record, having been implicated in the Iron Sheets scandal.
Hon. Namboozo Florence has been appointed Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister, in charge of Karamoja, replacing Former Journalist and Speaker of the People’s Parliament Agnes Nandutu. Nandutu was also implicated in the diversion of Iron Sheets meant for the People of Karamoja.
Hon. Lilian Aber has been appointed Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, replacing Hon. Anyakun Esther Davinia, who has been appointed Minister of State for Gender, Labour, and Social Development, in charge of Employment and Industrial Relations.- Hon. Kwiyucwiny Grace Freedom appointed Senior Presidential Advisor and replaced by Dr. Omona Kenneth as Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister, in charge of Northern Uganda.- The Vice President, Prime Minister, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Deputy Prime Ministers retained their positions.
Now, to throw into perspective the new assignments, two females have been dropped with an Iron Sheets diversion saga record while others who were implicated in the saga have been retained. These include Hon. Amos Lugoloobi, State Minister for Finance in charge of Planning; Matia Kasaija, Cabinet Minister for Finance; Vice President Maj. Jessca Alupo; Robbinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister, among others.
The New Cabinet now has three individuals who have served as Commanders of the Defence forces, including Gen. Katumba Wamala from 2013-2017, General David Muhoozi from January 9, 2017 – 2021, and Wilson Mbasu Mbadi from June 24, 2021-2024.
Other Army Officers in the Cabinet comprise Gen. Jeje Odong Abubakar (Minister for Foreign Affairs), Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire (Minister for Internal Affairs), Gen. Moses Ali (2nd Deputy Prime Minister), Col. Tom Butime (Minister for Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities), and Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo.
Furthermore, Hon. Godfrey Kabbyanga Kiime Baluku has been retained as State Minister for National Guidance and he will be contesting for the Position of Bukonzo County West Constituency in Kasese District, whose current Member of Parliament is Katusabe Atkins Godfrey.
The appointments include 41 females, including 3 Senior Presidential Advisors, and 46 males, including one Senior Presidential Advisor.
New appointments include Lilian Aber as Minister of State, Office of the Prime Minister (Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees), Wilson Mbasu Mbadi as State Minister for Trade, Industry, Cooperatives, in charge of Trade, and Balam Barugahara as Minister of State for Gender, Labour, and Social Development, in charge of Youth and Children Affairs. Those relieved of their assignments include Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, both Ministers from the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs.
Those assigned new roles include Vincent Sempijja, Kwiyucwiny Grace Freedom, Harriet Ntabaazi, and Wanyoto Mutende.
Former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda has been serving as a special envoy for special duties in the office of the president, but the position is not listed in the recent reshuffle.
@IvanKaahwa via Twitter
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