President Museveni has appointed Dr Lawrence Muganga, the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University Uganda, as State Minister for Internal Affairs in a fresh cabinet line-up unveiled on Tuesday evening.
The appointment is being viewed as one of the biggest surprises in the new government list as Museveni reshapes his administration following his recent swearing-in for another term in office.
Muganga, an academic, author, and higher education reform advocate, now moves from university leadership into Uganda’s security and governance system, with the Ministry of Internal Affairs overseeing immigration, citizenship, national identification, refugee affairs, and coordination of internal security agencies.
For years, Muganga has built a public profile as one of Uganda’s most vocal advocates for transforming higher education and narrowing the gap between academia and industry.
At Victoria University, he championed technology-driven learning, practical education models, and aggressive youth-focused branding that significantly raised the institution’s national visibility.
His leadership style, heavily shaped by public engagement and digital communication, distinguished him from many traditional university administrators and increasingly placed him within influential policy and governance discussions.
Political observers say the appointment reflects Museveni’s growing preference for technocrats, professionals, and public-facing administrators in strategic government positions as he consolidates his new administration.
Muganga joins a wider cabinet reshuffle that saw several senior ministers transferred, dropped, or reassigned.
Among the notable changes was the appointment of Adonia Ayebare as Foreign Affairs Minister, the return of Henry Tumukunde to Cabinet, and the transfer of Jane Ruth Aceng from the Health Ministry to ICT and National Guidance.
Within academic and policy circles, Muganga has authored books and delivered lectures focusing on educational innovation, leadership, and the future of African universities.
He previously studied at Makerere University, Harvard University, and the University of Alberta.
The appointments are expected to undergo parliamentary vetting before the ministers formally assume office.
