President Yoweri Museveni has warned Ugandans with dual citizenship to be clear about where their loyalty lies, as he swore in three ministers amid a controversy that has already derailed at least one Cabinet appointment.
Museveni presided over the swearing-in ceremony at State House Entebbe on Tuesday, administering the oath of office to Ambassador Adonia Ayebare as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shartsi Kutesa Musherure as Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development in charge of Micro-Finance, and Juma Witonze as Minister of State for Internal Affairs.
The ceremony followed the suspension of the swearing-in of Ayebare and Kutesa over questions surrounding their citizenship status.
Witonze’s appointment came after Dr Lawrence Muganga failed to secure parliamentary approval for the Internal Affairs state minister position. Parliament’s Appointments Committee rejected Muganga’s nomination over citizenship-related concerns.
Witonze will serve under Prof Ephraim Kamuntu, the Senior Minister for Internal Affairs.
The citizenship controversy provided the backdrop to Tuesday’s ceremony, with Museveni using the occasion to address the wider question of dual nationality and loyalty.
“On dual citizenship, I stressed that while the arrangement was introduced to address Uganda’s difficult history, people must be clear about where their loyalty lies. Ultimately, the East African Federation remains the long-term solution to questions of identity and integration in our region.”
Uganda permits dual citizenship, but questions surrounding nationality and allegiance have increasingly featured in the vetting of public officials, particularly nominees to government positions.
Muganga’s rejection by Parliament’s Appointments Committee brought the issue into sharp focus, forcing a change in the Internal Affairs ministerial team and paving the way for Witonze’s appointment.
Museveni said the introduction of dual citizenship was partly intended to respond to Uganda’s difficult history, but stressed that people who hold more than one nationality must be clear about their allegiance.
He linked the issue to his broader vision of East African political integration, saying the proposed East African Federation would ultimately provide a solution to questions of identity and integration in the region.
Beyond citizenship, Museveni gave the newly sworn-in ministers a broader assignment: fighting corruption and inefficiency in government.
“I congratulate them and urge them to focus on eliminating corruption and inefficiency in Government through proper supervision and accountability.”
Ayebare now takes charge of Uganda’s foreign affairs, while Kutesa assumes responsibility for micro-finance under the Finance, Planning and Economic Development ministry.
Witonze joins the Internal Affairs ministry as a state minister under Kamuntu, following the rejection of Muganga’s nomination.
His appointment brings the ministry’s latest Cabinet change to a close after the citizenship dispute surrounding Muganga’s nomination.
The three ministers now formally begin their assignments, with Museveni calling for tighter supervision and accountability across government.
It should be remembered that Dr Lawrence Muganga accused Thomas Tayebwa of failing him because of being a Munyarwanda, as reported Here.
Read the difference between being a Munyarwanda in Ugandan and a Rwandan Here.
See the list of other Museveni ministers Here and There.
