President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni told parliament that choosing members of the cabinet is one of the areas where he doesn’t need help.
Museveni made the statement days after a list of appointed ministers was released to the public pending approval by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
The list shows Katakwi Woman MP, Jessica Alupo as Vice President replacing Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who has been vice president for 10 years. On the other hand, Kakumiro Woman MP, Robinah Nabbanja replaces Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda as Prime Minister.
These two appointments took sections of the public by surprise and some opposition actors like Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda have come out to say that Nabbanja cannot handle the position of Prime Minister.
Meanwhile in the new cabinet list, Museveni dropped at least 11 Cabinet ministers.
Now while addressing legislators at Kololo independence grounds, Museveni said he had surprised Ugandans with his ‘fishermen’.
“I have brought you a list of ministers, the Vice President and Prime minister and deputy Prime Ministers. I know that many of you are Christians but many people do not understand Christianity very well although they talk about it. Jesus when he started his movement, there were intellectuals called Pharisees, highly educated people…but Jesus looked for fishermen. Jesus did not recruit Pharisees, Levites, Sadducees, he went for Simon Peter the fisherman. Of course he had also some intellectuals like Luke the doctor. So please when you look at my list, know that I am in the path of Jesus,” explained Museveni.
He added that while compiling the list, he was operating underground and alone since this is one area he doesn’t need assistance. Museveni however said that it is a fantastic and pleasant job for him.
“I have to look at religion, region, tribe and other things. In forming the cabinet, I was adding, subtracting, dividing… You people are fantastic! Some of these people I have nominated to you, I have been studying them for a long time and you will know about them,” he told MPs at Kololo Independence grounds.
He praised his nominees for having very good qualities like loyalty, hard-working and not corrupt.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah said that he had not officially received the list of those appointed asking the President to avail the list to his office so that vetting of the ministers can take place.
He noted that parliament had already constituted the Appointments Committee and that this would meet on Monday to discuss modalities of the vetting process or even start the vetting on the same day.
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