WE ARE THERE! Water and Environment Minister Maria Mutagamba (L) and her fisheries counterpart Ruth Nankabirwa arrive for the swearing-in ceremony yesterday in Entebbe. PHOTO BY GEOFFREY SSERUYANG
Entebbe
President Museveni yesterday swore in what he described as a “cross-generational” Cabinet of “balance, unity and expertise” at State House Entebbe and immediately highlighted the challenges facing his new government. “The country needs jobs for the young people,” Mr Museveni told the new record-size 76-person Cabinet, which includes elderly ministers who, like the President, have been in office since 1986, as well as youthful faces including, Ms Nekesa Oundo, the new state minister for Karamoja, who was only three when Mr Museveni took power.
Priorities listed
President Museveni, who is expected to reaffirm the top priorities when he delivers a State of the Nation address today at the opening of the Ninth Parliament, said the country also needs to widen its tax base, improve its export earnings and increase household incomes. He said the new government would invest in transport and energy infrastructure to reduce the cost of doing business and attract more investment.
President Museveni, who is expected to reaffirm the top priorities when he delivers a State of the Nation address today at the opening of the Ninth Parliament, said the country also needs to widen its tax base, improve its export earnings and increase household incomes. He said the new government would invest in transport and energy infrastructure to reduce the cost of doing business and attract more investment.
“Uganda is now finally getting on a very unequivocal course in terms of dealing with these bottlenecks,” Mr Museveni said. The President promised to increase Uganda’s per capita energy consumption from about 70kwh to 500kwh over the next “five or six” years.
The new dam at Bujagali, which should produce its first 50MW out of 250MW this year, should raise the average but after promising – and failing – to build two new dams in 42 months at the start of his last term, the President’s projections might be overly ambitious.
Balancing act
Meanwhile, President Museveni yesterday defended his recent Cabinet appointments, saying he focused more on striking a balance in regional distribution and age when choosing his ministers. “These ministers that I selected are not necessarily the best,” Mr Museveni said. “They are good but you should know that many factors were considered like balancing regions. This represents stability and fusion.”
Meanwhile, President Museveni yesterday defended his recent Cabinet appointments, saying he focused more on striking a balance in regional distribution and age when choosing his ministers. “These ministers that I selected are not necessarily the best,” Mr Museveni said. “They are good but you should know that many factors were considered like balancing regions. This represents stability and fusion.”
The President, however, sought to defend the quality of his appointees, saying he had appointed many “people of knowledge” to key ministries. He pointed out new Energy minister Eng. Irene Muloni who once ran the public power distribution firm and Prof. Zerubabel Nyiira Mijumbi, a scientist who was appointed to the agriculture ministry.
Four nominees who were rejected by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee missed yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony that was witnessed by Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki. The nominees who missed are MP James Kakooza (state minister for Health), Nasser Ntege Sebaggala (without portfolio), MP Saleh Kamba (state for Bunyoro Affairs) and MP Muyanja Mbabaali (state for Investment) and Interim Kampala Minister Beatrice Wabudeya.
Newly-appointed Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Maj. Gen. (rtd) Kahinda Otafiire was also not sworn in as he was said to be out of the country. President Museveni said his Cabinet is a cross-generation one representing ministers from the various age groups. “The grandparents are here like myself, parents are here and grand children,” he said. At least two out of three ministers are above 50 and the average age of Cabinet is about 54 years. The 1st Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Henry Kajura, 77, is the oldest while Mr Ronald Kibuule, 28, the state minister for youth, is the youngest.
The President said his appointments were partly informed by the need to unite the ruling party, which was left deeply divided after its acrimonious primaries that chose party flag bearers last August. He cautioned ministers against fomenting disunity – “don’t be arrogant, listen and where necessary apologise. Don’t offend people, don’t abuse them and be careful how you use your tongue,” he told them – and warned public servants, particularly permanent secretaries, against corruption
Holiday over
“The holiday is over,” he told the permanent secretaries. “You are the accounting officers in charge of money, contracts and personnel. Even if ministers tell you to do something bad don’t accept but if they insist, tell them to do it in writing. You should be the one to guide these ministers not to fall into temptation but deliver them from evil.”
“The holiday is over,” he told the permanent secretaries. “You are the accounting officers in charge of money, contracts and personnel. Even if ministers tell you to do something bad don’t accept but if they insist, tell them to do it in writing. You should be the one to guide these ministers not to fall into temptation but deliver them from evil.”
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