President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni used his powers to appoint a cabinet to punish Buganda for voting National Unity Platform (NUP) and its leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.
Bobi Wine and his NUP performed better than Museveni and his NRM party, in the presidential and parliamentary elections.
In Buganda, Bobi Wine’s NUP swept parliamentary seats, defeating Museveni’s ministers and NRM candidates, and not sparing opposition parties like FDC.
With just over 60 MPs, most of them from Buganda subregion, NUP eclipsed FDC to become the main opposition party in Parliament.
Museveni and his NRM blamed their dismal performance in Buganda on sectarianism, arguing Baganda had voted Bobi Wine because he is a Muganda.
Now Museveni’s cabinet excluded Baganda politicians in most key positions.
For example, for the first time since Museveni took power, his Vice President is not from Buganda (or Busoga).
Let’s take a look at the list of cabinet (senior) ministers.
- H.E. the Vice President ─ HON. JESSICA ALUPO; (MAJ.RTD)
- Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business in Parliament ─ HON. ROBINAH NABBANJA
- 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs ─ HON. REBECCA KADAGA
- 2nd Deputy Prime Minister & Deputy Leader of Gov’t Business in Parliament ─ HON.GEN. MOSES ALI
- 3rd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Port-folio ─ HON. LUKIA NAKADAMA
- Minister of Education and Sports ─ HON. MUSEVENI JANET KATAAHA
- Minister, Office of the President (Presidency) ─ MS. MARIAM DHOKA BABALANDA
- Minister, Office of the President (Security) ─ HON. JIM MUHWEEZI
- Minister, Office of the President, Serviced by the State House, Comptroller, in charge of Science, Technology and Innovation ─ DR. MUSENERO MONICA
Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs ─ HAJATI MISI KABANDA - Minister, Office of the Prime Minister (General Duties) ─ RT. HON. KASULE LUMUMBA
- Government Chief Whip ─ HON. TAYEBWA THOMAS
- Minister, Office of the Prime Minister (Relief, Disaster Preparedness & Refugees ─ HON. ONEK HILARY
- Minister for Karamoja Affairs ─ HON. MARIA GORETTI KITUTU
- Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries ─ HON. FRANK TUMWEBAZE
- Attorney-General ─ MR. KIRYOWA KIWANUKA
- Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs ─ HON.VINCENT SSEMPIJJA BAMULANGAKI
- Minister of Energy and Minerals Development ─ HON. RUTH NANKABIRWA
- Minister of Finance, Planning And Economic Development ─ HON. MATIA KASAIJA
- Minister of Foreign Affairs ─ HON. JEJE ODONGO
- Minister of Gender, Labour And Social Development ─ HON. BETTY AMONGI
- Minister of Health ─ HON. DR. JANE ACENG
- Minister of Information, Communications Technology And National Guidance ─ DR. CHRIS BARYOMUNSI
- Minister of Internal Affairs ─ HON. KAHINDA OTAFIRE
- Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs ─
Minister of Lands, Housing And Urban Development ─ HON. JUDITH NABAKOBA - Minister of Local Government ─ HON. RAPHAEL MAGYEZI
- Minister of Public Service ─ HON. MURUULI MUKASA
- Minister of Tourism, Wildlife And Antiquities ─ HON. TOM BUTIME
- Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives ─ MR. FRANCIS MWEBESA
- Minister of Water and Environment ─ HON. CHEPTORIS MANGUSHO
- Minister of Works and Transport ─ GEN. KATUMBA WAMALA
The lucky Baganda politicians that survived the political purge in the selection of cabinet ministers include: Now defence minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, Lands minister Judith Nabakooba, energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa and transport minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala.
Lawyer Kiryowa Kiwanuka also made it to the list, replacing William Byaruhanga as Attorney General.
Baganda politicians, especially those who lost parliamentary elections, form a considerable number of the Ministers dropped from cabinet.
FULL LIST: Here are 38 Ministers Museveni has DROPPED from Cabinet
Already, some politicians from Buganda such as Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko have loudly criticised Museveni for using the cabinet appointments to punish Buganda by excluding Baganda from positions of decision making.
Yet on the face of it, Buganda still dominates cabinet with 15 ministers – a drop of three from 18 in the previous cabinet.
