Cabinet fever grips Uganda
NEWLY-elected MPs and their supporters remained on tenterhooks yesterday as they completed a second week after swearing-in without knowing who was on the Cabinet list.
By John Semakula
NEWLY-elected MPs and their supporters remained on tenterhooks yesterday as they completed a second week after swearing-in without knowing who was on the Cabinet list.
The President is expected to appoint a total of 76 ministers. These include 27 Cabinet ministers and 49 ministers of state. Nearly all of them will be from the NRM.
Since there are 275 NRM legislators to fill the 76 ministerial posts, theoretically each of them has a one-in-four chance of becoming a minister.
Many thought that after Parliament constituted the appointments committee, the cabinet list would be released immediately, but it did not happen.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on Thursday said the committee was ready to begin work, only waiting for the list of ministerial nominees. “I have done my part of seeing that the appointments committee is constituted and the remaining part is for the appointing authority,†Kadaga said.
The 20-member appointments committee that was constituted by the 9th Parliament includes five opposition MPs and 15 members of the ruling NRM. The Speaker, Deputy Speaker and the Leader of Opposition are also part of the committee.
According to the rules of procedure, the committee requires only half of its members to make a quorum in order to execute business.
Like anyone else, members of the appointments committee are also eagerly waiting to receive the list of appointed ministers.
Several committee members told Saturday Vision by press time that they had not received any information regarding the list.
“I am ready to play my role as a member of the committee when called upon, but I have not received any communication in regard to the appointments,†said Sebuliba Mutumba of Kawempe South.
However, the President’s political aide, Moses Byaruhanga, said the President does not have a time limit to announce the Cabinet list. Therefore, he said, no one has grounds to claim the President has delayed to announce his ministers.
Constitutionally, the President makes a list of ministerial nominees and takes the names to the Parliament for approval, before assigning them portfolios.
NEWLY-elected MPs and their supporters remained on tenterhooks yesterday as they completed a second week after swearing-in without knowing who was on the Cabinet list.
The President is expected to appoint a total of 76 ministers. These include 27 Cabinet ministers and 49 ministers of state. Nearly all of them will be from the NRM.
Since there are 275 NRM legislators to fill the 76 ministerial posts, theoretically each of them has a one-in-four chance of becoming a minister.
Many thought that after Parliament constituted the appointments committee, the cabinet list would be released immediately, but it did not happen.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on Thursday said the committee was ready to begin work, only waiting for the list of ministerial nominees. “I have done my part of seeing that the appointments committee is constituted and the remaining part is for the appointing authority,†Kadaga said.
The 20-member appointments committee that was constituted by the 9th Parliament includes five opposition MPs and 15 members of the ruling NRM. The Speaker, Deputy Speaker and the Leader of Opposition are also part of the committee.
According to the rules of procedure, the committee requires only half of its members to make a quorum in order to execute business.
Like anyone else, members of the appointments committee are also eagerly waiting to receive the list of appointed ministers.
Several committee members told Saturday Vision by press time that they had not received any information regarding the list.
“I am ready to play my role as a member of the committee when called upon, but I have not received any communication in regard to the appointments,†said Sebuliba Mutumba of Kawempe South.
However, the President’s political aide, Moses Byaruhanga, said the President does not have a time limit to announce the Cabinet list. Therefore, he said, no one has grounds to claim the President has delayed to announce his ministers.
Constitutionally, the President makes a list of ministerial nominees and takes the names to the Parliament for approval, before assigning them portfolios.