Mao starts work as Justice minister, vows to end senseless killings

By Adam Nuwamanya

The acting minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Muruli Mukasa yesterday handed over office to Norbert Mao, tasking him to oversee the activities of all agencies in the ministry.

Mukasa, who has been overseeing the activities of the ministry since the start of the year wished Mao success in the new job and expressed confidence that the DP president general will excel.

Mukasa tasked Mao to be a committed overseer of all activities done by all the ministry's agencies.

"This is on the background of our vision which is a nation that upholds the rule of law, good governance and due process for all. So all this and this team here and much more that you see, I can assure you, you will not find it wanting," Mukasa said.

In response, Mao vowed to sell to the executive all the new developmental ideas of transitional justice that the ministry has not promoted.

"We need to tell each other the truth. Who has been hurting Ugandans? Who kills Ugandans, Who steals money of Ugandans?" asked Mao.

Mao vowed to execute tasks awaiting him without ignoring the terms of agreement between NRM and DP that led to his appointment in the new role.

"We have a cooperation agreement with some key priority areas which I think you will advise me on how to get them achieved in government," Mao said.

Mao has further called upon ministry stakeholders to ensure internal solutions to ministerial challenges before escalating them to the appointing authority.

"But more importantly we will solve the problems here, we are never going to go to President Museveni to help solve any problem of the Minister of Justice. We will lock that door and we solve it." said Mao in a matter of fact tone.

Prof Ephraim Kamuntu, the former minister of Justice who witnessed the handover urged Mao to look at the appointment as a test which he must work hard to pass.

According to the permanent secretary in the ministry, Robert Kasande,  Mao has inherited a ministry whose budget was cut to Shs 158 billion from Shs 170 billion last financial year.

Kasande said the ministry is still battling challenges of rent, case backlog and understaffing especially in the department of the Director of Public Prosecution.

"We have an unbalanced situation where we have very few field positions, of assistant commissioners and principals, principal state attorneys but we have made a submission to the Public service Commission to recruit more staff," Kasande said.