Kyabazinga missing from vetting list

Feb 14, 2017

The Busoga Lukiiko issued a statement advising the king to turn down the appointment

The Parliament appointments committee is set to start vetting recently appointed ambassadors to foreign missions and ministers and ambassadors today, the New Vision has learnt.

According to the list issued Monday by parliament's director of communication and public affairs, Chris Obore, the Kyabazinga of Busoga William Nadiope Gabula IV as ambassador will not appear before the committee chaired by one of his subjects, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

Two weeks ago President Yoweri Museveni appointed ambassadors to serve in his 2016-21 term of office including the Kyabazinga as the ambassador for special duties, a move that came with a lot of criticism from sections of the Busoga community.

The Busoga Lukiiko, the top decision-making organ of the kingdom issued a statement advising the king to turn down the appointment arguing that it is unconstitutional and that kings are not supposed to work.

The Constitution requires Parliament to screens in camera all presidential nominated civil servants before approval.

Over the weekend, President Museveni utilized the 78th Kyabazinga Day at Namutumba district headquarters to defend the appointment of Gabula as constitutional and good for national development.

New Vision is yet to establish why the Kyabazinga's name is missing from the list however in an attempt to find out how Kadaga was planning to deal with the vetting process of her cultural leader, she declined to comment on the matter.

Besides the vetting of the ambassadors and deputy ambassadors to foreign missions, the committee will also screen the former Commander of Defence Forces, Gen. Katumba Wamala for his new assignment as State Minister for Works.

The list of the new ambassadors was also criticized by pockets from the opposition for fishing Democratic Party's (DP) former national chairman Muhammed Kezaala.

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