Frank Tumwebaze, the outgoing minister of gender, labour and social development, will not be in the next cabinet after President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni reportedly dropped him by virtue of his posting to Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Also likely dropped from cabinet is junior health minister Joyce Kaducu Moriku.
The hopes of former energy minister returning to cabinet seem to have also collapsed.
The ruling NRM party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) has approved the names of Tumwebaze, Moriku and Muloni among MPs that will constitute Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
This Committee will be responsible for vetting new cabinet ministers and ministers of state (junior ministers).
Museveni is expected to release his cabinet list soon.
The inclusion of Tumwebaze, Moriku and Muloni on the committee has raised questions on whether these have been dropped from cabinet or not.
Museveni, the appointing authority, is the chairman of CEC, which sent the names to Parliament.
It is not clear if these will step down from the Appointments Committee when their vetting time comes – in the event that Museveni nominates them for ministerial positions.