Uganda's cabinet sizes
Jun 08, 2011
In Africa, Uganda comes only second to its neighbor Kenya as the country with the largest Cabinet
By Joseph Kizza
In Africa, Uganda comes only second to its neighbor Kenya as the country with the largest Cabinet.
On Monday, President Yoweri Museveni hosted the new ministers for their swearing-in at State House Entebbe. 69 of the 74 initially selected ministers were present to take their oaths.
Reeling back the tape into its political history, Uganda started off with a Cabinet almost five times smaller than what it has today. A week after attaining a fresh status as a full internal self-government on March 1, 1961, Uganda recorded a Cabinet of 13 ministers under the Premiership of Democratic Party’s Benedict Kiwanuka.
On April, 1961, a new council of ministers was announced with Sir Frederick Crawford as Governor and Commander-in-chief and his British counterpart, G.B. Cartland the Chief Secretary.
Such political reformation jostled Kiwanuka to the position of Leader of Government business in the House and Minister without Portfolio—the latter being a highly controversial government position from critics today.
Obote's cabinet
When Apollo Milton Obote assumed the office as Prime Minister through an election on May 1, 1962, the Independence Cabinet, as it was dubbed, also took another stride forward.
Obote worked with 16 ministers, right through Uganda’s attainment of independence from the 70-year long British rule on October 9, 1962.
A change of government most times signals speculation on internal and external structural reforms.
However, when the Uganda Armed Forces under Idi Amin Dada toppled the Obote government on January 25, 1971, the Cabinet size remained intact with 17 ministers.
Amin chops two
Obote was overthrown by a towering figure of a man, Idi Amin Dada, while he was away for the Commonwealth Heads of State summit in Singapore to pave way for a military regime in Uganda. Amin was both the Head-of-state and the Minister of Defence.
Six years later, the Cabinet was cut to 15 ministers still in the lead of Field Marshal Amin. Throughout his regime, Amin did not work with a Vice-president until 1977 when he appointed General Mustapha Adrisi for the post. Adrisi was also the Minister of Defence and internal affairs.
During this time, Brigadier Moses Ali, now the Third Deputy Prime Minister under Yoweri Museveni’s fourth regime was the Minister of Finance.
Back to the pioneer size
The Ugandan Cabinet further shrunk to 13 ministers following a turbulent political transition that threw Yusuf Kironde Lule into power on April 13, 1979.
Muwanga increases cabinet
Current President Museveni became the Minister of Defence and now-fallen Ugandan leader Paulo Muwanga the Minister of Internal Affairs.
For the first time, the Cabinet almost doubled to 23 ministers when the Military Commission chaired by Paulo Muwanga ousted Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa towards mid-1980. Earlier, Binaisa had removed Lule from office by a vote in the National Consultative Council on June 20, 1979.
When the Military Commission steered Uganda through its political instability, Museveni was the vice chairman and the now First Deputy Prime Minister Eriya Kategaya worked as the Minister of Commerce.
Among the 23 ministers under the Commission also included Namirembe Bitamazire as the Minister of Education.
Growing bigger
Records indicate a rise in the Cabinet to 26 when Obote flew back into Uganda to regain political leadership. Obote’s reinstatement into power after a reportedly rigged election phased out Museveni who went to the bush to fight a guerrilla war.
In 1986, when guerrilla leader Museveni assumed power after the collapse of General Tito Okello’s government, the number of ministers shot to 30. Brigadier Ali, formerly under Amin’s government, resurfaced as the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife.
As DP veteran John Sebaana Kizito took charge as Minister of Regional Affairs then, defeated 2010 presidential candidate Jaberi Bidandi Ssali was the Minister of Labour.
Down again
Striving through a reformed political atmosphere, Uganda, under President Museveni, experienced an ebbed Cabinet size of 21 ministers as of July 3, 1996. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe was both the Vice President and Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries.
Cabinet hits 60
In 2001, after beating his closest rival Kiiza Besigye in what was seen as a two-man election battle, Museveni appointed 65 ministers to his Cabinet—a number no other Ugandan head-of-state had chosen before.
The difference in size between the 2006 Cabinet and the current 2011 one is only five ministerial positions. Museveni increased the number of ministerial posts in 2006 from 69 to 74, which received a lot of criticism from both within the domestic and external circles.
However, the Parliamentary appointments committee recently rejected the appointment of Nasser Ntege Sebaggala, Saleh Kamba, Muyanja Mbabali and James Kakooza as part of the 2011-2016 cabinet.
In Africa, Uganda comes only second to its neighbor Kenya as the country with the largest Cabinet.
On Monday, President Yoweri Museveni hosted the new ministers for their swearing-in at State House Entebbe. 69 of the 74 initially selected ministers were present to take their oaths.
Reeling back the tape into its political history, Uganda started off with a Cabinet almost five times smaller than what it has today. A week after attaining a fresh status as a full internal self-government on March 1, 1961, Uganda recorded a Cabinet of 13 ministers under the Premiership of Democratic Party’s Benedict Kiwanuka.
On April, 1961, a new council of ministers was announced with Sir Frederick Crawford as Governor and Commander-in-chief and his British counterpart, G.B. Cartland the Chief Secretary.
Such political reformation jostled Kiwanuka to the position of Leader of Government business in the House and Minister without Portfolio—the latter being a highly controversial government position from critics today.
Obote's cabinet
When Apollo Milton Obote assumed the office as Prime Minister through an election on May 1, 1962, the Independence Cabinet, as it was dubbed, also took another stride forward.
Obote worked with 16 ministers, right through Uganda’s attainment of independence from the 70-year long British rule on October 9, 1962.
A change of government most times signals speculation on internal and external structural reforms.
However, when the Uganda Armed Forces under Idi Amin Dada toppled the Obote government on January 25, 1971, the Cabinet size remained intact with 17 ministers.
Amin chops two
Obote was overthrown by a towering figure of a man, Idi Amin Dada, while he was away for the Commonwealth Heads of State summit in Singapore to pave way for a military regime in Uganda. Amin was both the Head-of-state and the Minister of Defence.
Six years later, the Cabinet was cut to 15 ministers still in the lead of Field Marshal Amin. Throughout his regime, Amin did not work with a Vice-president until 1977 when he appointed General Mustapha Adrisi for the post. Adrisi was also the Minister of Defence and internal affairs.
During this time, Brigadier Moses Ali, now the Third Deputy Prime Minister under Yoweri Museveni’s fourth regime was the Minister of Finance.
Back to the pioneer size
The Ugandan Cabinet further shrunk to 13 ministers following a turbulent political transition that threw Yusuf Kironde Lule into power on April 13, 1979.
Muwanga increases cabinet
Current President Museveni became the Minister of Defence and now-fallen Ugandan leader Paulo Muwanga the Minister of Internal Affairs.
For the first time, the Cabinet almost doubled to 23 ministers when the Military Commission chaired by Paulo Muwanga ousted Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa towards mid-1980. Earlier, Binaisa had removed Lule from office by a vote in the National Consultative Council on June 20, 1979.
When the Military Commission steered Uganda through its political instability, Museveni was the vice chairman and the now First Deputy Prime Minister Eriya Kategaya worked as the Minister of Commerce.
Among the 23 ministers under the Commission also included Namirembe Bitamazire as the Minister of Education.
Growing bigger
Records indicate a rise in the Cabinet to 26 when Obote flew back into Uganda to regain political leadership. Obote’s reinstatement into power after a reportedly rigged election phased out Museveni who went to the bush to fight a guerrilla war.
In 1986, when guerrilla leader Museveni assumed power after the collapse of General Tito Okello’s government, the number of ministers shot to 30. Brigadier Ali, formerly under Amin’s government, resurfaced as the Minister of Tourism and Wildlife.
As DP veteran John Sebaana Kizito took charge as Minister of Regional Affairs then, defeated 2010 presidential candidate Jaberi Bidandi Ssali was the Minister of Labour.
Down again
Striving through a reformed political atmosphere, Uganda, under President Museveni, experienced an ebbed Cabinet size of 21 ministers as of July 3, 1996. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe was both the Vice President and Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries.
Cabinet hits 60
In 2001, after beating his closest rival Kiiza Besigye in what was seen as a two-man election battle, Museveni appointed 65 ministers to his Cabinet—a number no other Ugandan head-of-state had chosen before.
The difference in size between the 2006 Cabinet and the current 2011 one is only five ministerial positions. Museveni increased the number of ministerial posts in 2006 from 69 to 74, which received a lot of criticism from both within the domestic and external circles.
However, the Parliamentary appointments committee recently rejected the appointment of Nasser Ntege Sebaggala, Saleh Kamba, Muyanja Mbabali and James Kakooza as part of the 2011-2016 cabinet.