One week later, Museveni again wants parliament to help him create one more ministry

President Museveni has once again asked Parliament to help him create one more ministry just a week after the August House passed a motion to raise the number of ministers by one, from 79 to 80.

Now, the president wants the same House to create a position of State Minister for Information and National Guidance.

Museveni’s request was passed through a motion by West Budama Member of Parliament, Fox Odoi on Monday morning.

Should the motion be endorsed, it will mean that ministers now become 81 shortly after they became 80 last week, from 79 in 2016.

Last week, parliament approved a motion that will allow the President to increase the number of ministers from 79 to 80 in order to cater to the portfolio of the elderly.

The Constitution under Articles 113 (2) and 114 (3) gives the prerogative to the president to increase the number of ministers with the approval of Parliament.

Whereas the motion was initially opposed by some MPs on the basis of saving resources, the majority of legislators supported the move by the president to have the elderly represented in the cabinet.

West Budama North East MP, Fox Odoi Oyweloyo who moved the motion, said that for effective running of the state, the president needs a minister to champion the issues affecting the elderly.

“The current population is above 45 million people; the view of the president is that there must be per capita increase in the number of ministers to service effectively the growth in our population," Odoi said.