FDC hails Museveni over Nyombi sacking

By Nicholas Wassajja

The opposition’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has hailed President Yoweri Museveni for dropping Peter Nyombi from Cabinet as Attorney General, saying it was long overdue.

FDC said Nyombi’s ability for legal interpretations had become a liability in terms of costs because many of them were erroneous.

Addressing journalists at a news conference, FDC spokesperson John Kikonyogo said that besides Nyombi’s contentious legal opinions, the former attorney general was also in the habit of undermining other institutions like the judiciary and legislature.

“This man had no respect for fellow leaders but this should be a lesson to the new ministers and all regime defenders that you can be sacked at any time by the appointing authority,” Kikonyogo said.  

Over the weekend, the President announced a Cabinet reshuffle replacing Attorney General Peter Nyombi with his deputy Fred Ruhindi and Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka with Matia Kasaija among other changes.

On Sunday, Nyombi told New Vision that, “the President has all the authority to appoint whoever he wishes and I have neither regrets nor a problem with it.”  

Kikonyogo however pointed out that government has no will to fight corruption because ministers like Abraham Byandala were simply transfered.

The FDC strongman also urged government to appoint a substantive Chief Justice in order to allow the judiciary functions as a fully-fledged institution.

Acciording to FDC, the cabinet reshuffle was meant to clean-up influences of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi ahead of 2016 polls.  

Kikonyogo said, “The reshuffle is meant to pacify the President’s political ambitions and hold on regions where he feels uncomfortable before the general elections.”

However, government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo lashed out at the FDC as being unceremonious in its arguments, questioning that: “When Mbabazi was still in Cabinet, who were such reshuffles targeting?”

“The reshuffle was done on merit and competence for instance who can dispute Bahati’s capability. But besides that, Kigezi has occasionally had the most number of ministers.” Opondo explained.