Museveni chairs last cabinet meeting of this term

President Yoweri Museveni will today chair his last cabinet meeting ahead of his swearing-in ceremony.

Museveni will on May 12 be sworn in for a sixth term of office at a function to be held at the Kololo independence grounds in Kampala.

The cabinet which sits every Monday is currently holding their last and final session at State House Entebbe and chaired by President Museveni.

Today’s final meeting will be followed by a farewell dinner for the ministers, especially those who were defeated in the just concluded general elections held on January 14.

Defeated ministers

The development comes on the heels of anticipation on who makes it and who will not return to cabinet that the president is expected to announce next week.

The situation has been exacerbated by the big number of ministers who did not retain their seats, leaving Museveni with hands tied as regards their fate.

Following the “umbrella” wave from the new opposition kid on the block, the National Unity Platform, a number of ministers led by the Vice President, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, Ruth Nankabirwa(Chief Whip), Rosemary Sseninde(Primary Education) and Chrysostom Muyingo(Higher Education) were defeated.

Other ministers including Mwesigwa Rukutana(Labour), Ephraim Kamuntu(Justice), Vincent Ssempijja(Agriculture), Beti Kamya(Lands), Amelia Kyambadde, Beatrice Anywar(Environment) Haruna Kasolo(Microfinance),Judith Nabakooba(ICT), Ronald Kibuule(Water), Elioda Tumwesigye(Technology), Christopher Kibanzanga(Defence),  Isaac Musumba(Urban development),  Julius Maganda(East African Affairs), Evelyn Anite(Investment), and Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi(Youth and Children Affairs) didn’t see the light of the day in the just concluded general elections.

Whereas President Museveni usually announces a new cabinet after swearing-in, it is not automatic that he does so as soon as the ceremony ends.

On some occasions, he has taken weeks without announcing his cabinet raising tension among hopefuls for positions in the new cabinet.

The country however waits to see what will happen this time.

Performance

Last week, Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda said government has fulfilled 95% of its promises in the 2016-2021 manifesto.

He said the implementation of the manifesto was guided by the 23 directives issued by President Museveni at the first cabinet meeting in June 2016.

The 23 directives highlighted the critical priority areas that needed to be attended to, in order to achieve their goals.

“To ensure smooth implementation of the manifesto, government initiated a number of reforms with regard to policies, laws and regulations,” he said.