CABINET FEVER: Ex-Ministers That Museveni is Likely to Appoint to His Cabinet for 2026-2031

 Uganda’s president-elect Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni and his team of close and trusted advisors are on a mission to identify men and women that will be named cabinet ministers and junior ministers (ministers of state) in coming weeks. The 81-year-old, who will have ruled Uganda for 45 years by the end of his new term, may look at some old and experienced hands that have previously been in cabinet. In the second part of our series on Cabinet Fever 2026, The Pearl Times’ Samuel Kamugisha looks at ex-ministers that Museveni is likely to appoint to his cabinet for 2026-2031.

In most cases, when ministers lose their parliamentary seats, Museveni drops them from his cabinet and gives them presidential advisor jobs, other roles or completely abandons them to figure life for themselves in the political cold or katebe. But some lucky one like Raphael Magyezi, the former Igara West MP and architect of the presidential age limit removal move, have stayed in cabinet even after choosing not to run for reelection.

Such cases are rare. It appears that Museveni looks at ministers who lose their parliamentary seats as political liabilities, politicians who have lost their electoral bases and popularities, and ones who should be replaced with popular ones. That is how people like Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, Amelia Kyambadde and Prof Ephraim Kamuntu lost their ministerial jobs.

While some ministers who MP seats choose not to seek reelection, others return to the ballot and fail. Yet others, a few lucky ones, make it once again – then start hoping that the old man from Rwakitura remembers them again and hands them a ministerial position.

And as he puts together his cabinet for 2026 through 2031, Museveni might remember some of his former minister. However, that certainly depends on other factors like regional balancing. So, let us look at the names of ex-Ministers that Museveni is likely to appoint to his cabinet for 2026-2031.

AMELIA KYAMBADDE

Until 2021 when former Hilary Kiyaga aka Dr Hilderman defeated her in Bobi Wine’s NUP wave that swept powerful ruling NRM MPs across Buganda, Amelia Kyambadde was minister of trade, industry and cooperatives. Five years later, Kyambadde defeated Hilderman to reclaim her Mawokota North MP seat, although the NUP politician and singer is preparing for a legal battle with hopes of overturning the former minister’s victory.

Kyambadde is one of the former ministers expected to make a comeback to Museveni’s cabinet, especially given how she has closely worked with the president over the years. She may be posted to a trade related dockets if she is lucky to make it back to cabinet.

She was one of President Museveni’s longest-serving aides. She rose from being Museveni’s personal secretary in 1979 to the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the President.

Read about how Amelia Kyambadde clashed with a powerful Museveni minister’s wife Here. 

DR ELIODA TUMWESIGYE

The MP-elect for Sheema North previously represented Sheema Municipality and Sheema North but lost to Dicksons Kateshumbwa in 2021. Tumwesigye previously served as Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation from June 2016 to May 2021 and State Minister for Health (General Duties). He is expected to return to a similar docket if Museveni chooses him to return to cabinet.

During the 2021 election, Elioda Tumwesigye’s opponent was accused of giving women knickers for votes, as reported Here. 

PROF EPHRAIM KAMUNTU

Prof Ephraim Kamuntu wrestled against a fellow professor, Elijah Dickens Mushemeza, to return to parliament to represent the people of Sheema South. Prof Kamuntu garnered 15,337 votes while Prof Mushemeza managed 10,417 votes.

Aged 80, Prof Kamuntu may make it back to cabinet as Museveni moves to include some old hands to his cabinet where he is expected to have a number of middle-aged politicians making it to cabinet.

Currently serving as senior presidential advisor on economic affairs and manifesto implementation, Prof Kamuntu has served in various roles under Museveni’s government.

He served as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs from December 2019 to June 2021, Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities from June 2016 to December 2019, and Minister of Water and Environment from August 2012 to June 2016.

Prof Kamuntu also served as state minister of Finance in charge of Planning from February 2009 to May 2011, and minister of State for Industry from June 2006 to February 2009. He could return to any of such roles.

LT GEN HENRY TUMUKUNDE

In 2018, Museveni sacked Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde as minister of security. Tumukunde would later stand as presidential candidate in 2021 but lost miserably.

An NRA bush war veteran and former Director General of both the Internal Security Organization (ISO) and the Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI), Tumukunde won the Rukungiri Municipality parliamentary seat in the January 2026 general elections on the NRM ticket.

Having very close ties with the first family, Tumukunde is expected to make it back to cabinet now that he has a constituency that he represents and, therefore, politically useful to the NRM party.

The man who succeeded Lt Gen Tumukunde as security minister, Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, also won his parliamentary seat.

Tumukunde was one of the bush war veterans that Museveni said did not have the capacity to succeed him, as reported Here. 

DR CRISPUS KIYONGA

The only candidate from Museveni’s Uganda Patriotic Movement (UPM) who won a parliamentary seat in the 1980 elections, Dr Walter Crispus Kiyonga is a key figure in Rwenzori.

Currently serving as the chancellor of Makerere University, the fourth non-executive chancellor of Uganda’s largest and oldest higher learning institution, Dr Crispus Kiyonga was dropped from cabinet in 2016 and sent to Beijing as Uganda’s ambassador to China.

In 2024, Museveni appointed Kiyonga the chancellor of Makerere, replacing Dr Ezra Suruma.

Under Museveni, Kiyonga has served in a number of cabinet roles, including Minister of Defence from 2006 to 2016, Minister of Health from 1996 to 2001, Minister of Finance from 1986 to 1992, and  Minister of Internal Affairs from 1994 to 1996.

In January’s elections, Dr Crispus Kiyonga reclaimed his Bukonzo County West parliamentary seat in Kasese District after he beat incumbent Godfrey Atkins Katusabe.

If Dr Kiyonga makes it to parliament, he is likely to cost Minister Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku his cabinet seat since both come from Kasese District. Minister Kabbyanga once said he will die for Museveni.

Minister Kabbyanga was one of Museveni’s ministers who lost NRM primaries and parliamentary elections. See full list of ministers who lost MP seats and who defeated them Here and There. 

Watch video on list of ex-ministers likely to return to Museveni’s cabinet Here.

In our first report on Cabinet Fever series, The Pearl Times looked at who Museveni is likely to appoint as his vice president. Read detailed story Here.

It should be remembered that Museveni consoled some the ministers he sacked with presidential advisors jobs, paying them juicy salaries, although he rarely meets his advisors. (See Details Here, There and Over There).