Former speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga is missing on the leaked cabinet list published by independent daily newspaper Daily Monitor, while former prime minister Amama Mbabazi’s fate is said to hang in balance.
Kadaga, who defied the ruling NRM CEC orders and stood as independent speaker candidate but lost to Jacob Oulanyah, was said to be close to becoming Uganda’s second female vice president after Specioza Wandira Kazibwe.
But the leaked cabinet list dropped a bombshell on the hopes of the Kamuli Woman MP becoming the country’s number two.
The list suggests State House Comptroller Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye is favorite to replace Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi as Vice President.
The leaked list also claims Mbabazi is returning to cabinet after seven years in the cold, in which he challenged Museveni in the 2016 presidential election but mended relations with his former boss after a dismal performance in the poll.
Mbabazi was rumored to become Vice President but Nakyobe is said to be favorite, at least according to the leaked Daily Monitor list.
For the likelihood of returning to the Prime Minister position, the leaked list suggests Ruth Nankabirwa and Kasule Lumumba are favorite to replace his successor Ruhakana Rugunda.
The same applies to the possibility of Mbabazi bouncing back to his role as NRM secretary general since the leaked list claims Rugunda could take this role.
For Mbabazi and Kadaga to have a landing in cabinet, the leaked cabinet list might have to be tweaked – and Nakyobe, Nankabirwa and Lumumba could be shoved to lower positions.
For example, Nakyobe would become presidency minister to pave way for Kadaga or Mbabazi.