Museveni advised on Kinobe posting
Feb 22, 2009
THE foreign affairs ministry has informed President Yoweri Museveni that Moscow, where he designated Maj. James Kinobe as ambassador, has an envoy.
By Cyprian Musoke
THE foreign affairs ministry has informed President Yoweri Museveni that Moscow, where he designated Maj. James Kinobe as ambassador, has an envoy.
The permanent secretary, Ambassador James Mugume, yesterday said the oversight could have been created by the secretary to the President, giving him a list that indicated Moscow as vacant.
“There are two issues. One is being appointed as an Ambassador, then being posted to a station. All it takes for such an oversight to occur is the secretary to miss out one station and the boss thinks there is a vacancy,†Mugume said.
He said the appointments had to go to the parliamentary appointments committee before the ambassador is posted.
Denying media allegations that Kinobe was offered “hot airâ€, Mugume said appointment of ambassadors was an ongoing job.
“We have 28 missions, which we are upgrading to 30 after opening Burundi and Abu Dhabi, so he can be posted anywhere.â€
Mugume told the public accounts committee on Friday that the President appointed Kinobe without consulting the foreign affairs ministry.
Asked whether Kinobe could have been designated as deputy head of mission in Moscow, Mugume said the issue was up to the President.
He said if Kinobe is vetted by the appointments committee, he would sign a contract with the Ministry of Public Service and begin receiving his salary even if he is not re-allocated by then.
Maj. Kinobe said he was not aware of the confusion surrounding his appointment, adding that he was only awaiting approval by Parliament.
“The decision to appoint ambassadors is a prerogative of the President. I am set to hand over office to the new minister for youth as I wait for approval as ambassador by Parliament,†he said.
THE foreign affairs ministry has informed President Yoweri Museveni that Moscow, where he designated Maj. James Kinobe as ambassador, has an envoy.
The permanent secretary, Ambassador James Mugume, yesterday said the oversight could have been created by the secretary to the President, giving him a list that indicated Moscow as vacant.
“There are two issues. One is being appointed as an Ambassador, then being posted to a station. All it takes for such an oversight to occur is the secretary to miss out one station and the boss thinks there is a vacancy,†Mugume said.
He said the appointments had to go to the parliamentary appointments committee before the ambassador is posted.
Denying media allegations that Kinobe was offered “hot airâ€, Mugume said appointment of ambassadors was an ongoing job.
“We have 28 missions, which we are upgrading to 30 after opening Burundi and Abu Dhabi, so he can be posted anywhere.â€
Mugume told the public accounts committee on Friday that the President appointed Kinobe without consulting the foreign affairs ministry.
Asked whether Kinobe could have been designated as deputy head of mission in Moscow, Mugume said the issue was up to the President.
He said if Kinobe is vetted by the appointments committee, he would sign a contract with the Ministry of Public Service and begin receiving his salary even if he is not re-allocated by then.
Maj. Kinobe said he was not aware of the confusion surrounding his appointment, adding that he was only awaiting approval by Parliament.
“The decision to appoint ambassadors is a prerogative of the President. I am set to hand over office to the new minister for youth as I wait for approval as ambassador by Parliament,†he said.