Beti Kamya: Museveni dropped me from Cabinet because Abubaker Kawalya of Bobi Wine’s NUP defeated me

Former lands, housing and urban development minister Beti Olive Namisango Kamya says Rubaga North voters, who chose Abubaker Kawalya of Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s NUP in the January 14 parliamentary elections, are the reason President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni dropped her as cabinet minister.

Museveni replaced Kamya with former ICT and National Guidance minister Judith Nabakooba.

“I don’t blame the president at all. The people of Rubaga North contributed to his decision not to make me minister [again],” she told NTV Uganda.

“Museveni also needs votes in Parliament. Why would he appoint me minister when there are those who already have won seats in Parliament?”

But this argument isn’t entirely true. Some ministers who lost parliamentary elections have returned to cabinet.

These include: her lands ministry successor Nabakooba, former government chief whip (and now energy minister designate) Ruth Nankabirwa as well as former agriculture (and now defence) minister Vincent Ssempijja.

Kamya, a 2011 presidential candidate, had promised to help Museveni and his NRM beat the opposition in Kampala but Bobi Wine’s NUP wave humbled her.

Kamya insists she has no regrets for leaving the political opposition to serve as minister in Museveni’s government.

“All the infrastructure here is part of what we achieved as leaders in the previous five year term. I do not regret joining cabinet,” she said.

Beti Kamya: The five years I’ve spent in NRM as Museveni minister are better than 30 years I wasted in Opposition