Kampala, Uganda: President Museveni has sworn in three ministers into his new government, urging them to fight corruption and inefficiency through stronger supervision and accountability.
The ministers, who took their oaths at State House Entebbe on Tuesday, are Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, who becomes Minister of Foreign Affairs; Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development in charge of Micro-Finance; and Juma Witonze Kisekka, Minister of State for Internal Affairs.
The ceremony formally brings the three into the 2026–2031 administration after their appointments went through different processes before they could assume office.
“I congratulate them and urge them to focus on eliminating corruption and inefficiency in Government through proper supervision and accountability,” Museveni said in a post via X.
The President’s warning comes as the President has repeatedly placed corruption, poor service delivery and weak supervision among the major obstacles to the implementation of government programmes.
Ayebare takes charge of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador Ayebare takes over the Foreign Affairs ministry after years of serving Uganda in senior diplomatic positions, particularly at the United Nations.
Before his appointment, Ayebare served as Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, a position he assumed in 2017. The United Nations records show that he previously served as Uganda’s Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d’Affaires at the UN and as Senior Adviser on Peace and Security at the African Union’s Permanent Observer Mission to the UN.
His diplomatic career has also included work on conflict prevention and mediation, including Uganda’s involvement in the Burundi peace process. He served as Uganda’s Ambassador and Head of Mission to Rwanda and Burundi between 2002 and 2005.
Ayebare also has a journalism background. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Makerere University, alongside master’s degrees and doctorates from institutions in the United States.
His appointment therefore places a career diplomat with extensive multilateral experience at the head of Uganda’s foreign policy machinery.
Ayebare’s assumption of office also ends a period in which State Minister for Foreign Affairs Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo had been appointed acting Foreign Affairs minister pending the resolution of issues surrounding the substantive appointment.
Musherure moves to Micro-Finance
Musherure takes up the State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development responsible for Micro-Finance, a portfolio that places her within the ministry responsible for a key component of the government’s household wealth creation agenda.
Musherure’s appointment also carries political significance. She was previously elected to Parliament representing Mawogola North until the last term and has been involved in national political and legislative affairs, including work on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
Her new portfolio will place her at the centre of government efforts to expand access to financial services and strengthen programmes aimed at enabling households and small enterprises to access productive financing.
Witonze replaces Muganga at Internal Affairs
Witonze Kisekka takes over as Minister of State for Internal Affairs after President Museveni replaced Dr Lawrence Muganga, whose nomination did not receive approval from Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Witonze is a diplomat and politician who has served as the Patriotic League of Uganda coordinator for the Greater Mpigi region and as NRM vice-chairperson for Gomba District. He has also previously contested for a position in the East African Legislative Assembly.
His appointment followed Parliament’s rejection of Muganga’s nomination after questions were raised during the vetting process concerning his citizenship status.
Witonze had himself recently contested the NRM internal process for Uganda’s EALA positions. In the July 2026 NRM election, he finished third with 81 votes, behind Fred Rwakaizi Bangumya and Stella Kiryowa.
The Internal Affairs State Minister’s docket covers areas including internal security, immigration, national identification and civil registration, making Witonze’s new assignment one of the key operational positions in government.
Citizenship questions delayed some appointments
The swearing-in also closes an important chapter in the formation of Museveni’s new Cabinet.
When the President’s new Cabinet was sworn in on June 8, four ministerial nominees were absent because of questions surrounding their citizenship status. They included Ayebare, Musherure, Calvin Echodu and Muganga.
Documents presented to Parliament showed that Ayebare and Musherure had acquired United States citizenship, while Muganga was reported to hold Ugandan, Canadian and Rwandan citizenship. The issue arose because Uganda’s laws impose restrictions on dual citizens occupying certain senior public offices, including ministerial positions.
Ayebare and Musherure subsequently completed the process of renouncing their US citizenship, clearing the way for their appointments to proceed. DailyExpress previously reported that the two had fulfilled the relevant requirements and were awaiting formal swearing-in.
The issue explains why the two did not take the oath alongside the bulk of the new Cabinet in June.
Museveni used Tuesday’s ceremony to return to the wider question of dual citizenship, stressing that the issue must be approached with clarity about national loyalty. “On dual citizenship, I stressed that while the arrangement was introduced to address Uganda’s difficult history, people must be clear about where their loyalty lies,” the President said.
“Ultimately, the East African Federation remains the long-term solution to questions of identity and integration in our region,” he said.
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