Kampala, Uganda: President Museveni has appointed State Minister for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs), Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, as the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, pending resolution of the citizenship-related impasse that has stalled the appointment and swearing-in of Minister appointee Ambassador Adonia Ayebare.
In a presidential letter dated June 22, 2026, Museveni invoked powers under Article 99(1) of the Constitution and formally designated Kasolo to oversee the ministry in the absence of a substantive minister.
“In exercise of the powers vested in the President by Article 99(1) of the Constitution, I hereby appoint you as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs in the absence of a substantive Minister,” the President wrote.
The appointment effectively places Kasolo at the helm of Uganda’s foreign affairs docket at a time when the ministry has been operating without its designated political head following the emergence of legal questions surrounding the citizenship status of Ambassador Adonia Ayebare and other ministerial appointees.
Ayebare, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, was appointed Foreign Affairs Minister by President Museveni during the Cabinet reshuffle announced on May 27, replacing Gen. Jeje Odongo.
However, his elevation to the Cabinet hit a legal hurdle after immigration records submitted to Parliament indicated that he holds both Ugandan and United States citizenship, with the latter reportedly acquired in April 2025.
The citizenship revelations sparked a broader debate about eligibility for ministerial office under Uganda’s citizenship laws.
Dual Citizenship Saga
Ayebare was among four Cabinet nominees flagged over citizenship concerns during the parliamentary vetting process.
The others included State Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs) Calvin Echodu, State Minister-designate for Microfinance Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, and State Minister-designate for Internal Affairs Dr. Lawrence Muganga.
According to documents submitted by the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control to Parliament, Ayebare holds dual Ugandan and American citizenship, while Musherure was also listed as holding Ugandan and American citizenship. Echodu was reported to possess both Ugandan and American travel documents, while Muganga was listed as holding Ugandan, Canadian and Rwandan citizenship.
Ugandan law permits dual citizenship. However, provisions under the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act restrict holders of dual nationality from occupying certain sensitive public offices, including Cabinet ministerial positions.
The controversy led to the unprecedented exclusion of the four nominees from the June 8 Cabinet swearing-in ceremony at State House Entebbe, despite some having already been vetted by Parliament.
Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe later confirmed that government lawyers and the Solicitor General had been tasked to examine the matter and advise the President on the way forward.
Reports indicate that efforts have been underway for the affected nominees to regularise their citizenship status through renunciation procedures to meet the legal requirements for holding ministerial office.
Political observers note that Museveni’s decision to appoint Kasolo as acting minister is intended to ensure continuity in the ministry’s operations while legal and administrative questions surrounding the designated minister are resolved.
Kasolo, who was recently sworn in as State Minister for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs), now assumes temporary responsibility for managing Uganda’s diplomatic engagements, regional cooperation initiatives, and international relations.
The appointment comes at a critical time as Uganda continues to engage regional and global partners on trade, security, investment, climate action, and multilateral diplomacy.
Whether Ayebare eventually assumes the substantive ministerial role will largely depend on the outcome of the ongoing legal review and citizenship compliance process.
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