President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has tasked his new cabinet with five targets to focus on in the next five years.
These according to Museveni are; cohesion, a corruption-free Uganda, integration, patriotism, and service delivery. Museveni laid down the five targets in his speech to the ministers who took oath on Monday at the Kololo Independence Grounds.
Some of those sworn in include vice president Maj. Rtd Jessica Alupo, prime minister and leader of government business Robinah Nabbanja, second deputy prime minister Moses Ali, third deputy prime minister Lukia Nakadama, minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni and Maj. Gen. Rtd Jim Muhwezi the minister of Security.
Others include; Hajati Misa Kabanda, the minister for Kampala Capital and Metropolitan Affairs, Justine Kasule Lumumba, the minister in the Office of the Prime Minister in charge of general duties, Thomas Tayebwa the government chief whip, Frank Tumwebaze the minister of Agriculture, Animal and Fisheries among others.
“This is a cabinet of cohesion in the system. I want the program of National Resistance Movement to be implemented enthusiastically. It must be a cabinet of no corruption. You people should be careful. There is nothing I don’t know. I appeal to the ministers not to ask for anything from anybody. If you want to be durable leaders, don’t seek and accept favour from anybody. And don’t tolerate corruption under you,” warned Museveni.
The president added that the third mission of the new cabinet is integration – the reason why he appointed his ‘sister’ Rebecca Kadaga as minister of East African Affairs assisted by Ikuya Magode as minister of state for East African Affairs.
He said that the cabinet must resolve the issue of market for products in the EAC region. The president also tasked the new cabinet to be patriotic and be a team that shows concern.
Museveni noted that there is no need for one to go into public office if they don’t have a public spirit. He said that parasites should be out of public service. Museveni hinted that he dropped some ministers who were previously in cabinet because they lacked the spirit to serve the public.
“Nobody should be in the public if you don’t have a public spirit and if you’re the supervisor, me I can’t tolerate anybody under me once I detect that – out you go. Because if I tolerate you, I’m endangering the system. So patriotism, patriotism. How does somebody allow the only policeman who has got a skill which you know is very important why not multiply it by training. But if you have one, how can you allow the only one who has got that skill to retire. Can you imagine? The one who knew this retired; who allowed him to retire? Therefore we don’t want parasites in the public service we don’t want parasites. Parasites are people, things who take from the body but add nothing,” Museveni added.
The president also said that the new government must be a government of service delivery in areas of education, health and roads.
“I don’t want to hear outcries anymore. The issue of justice, land evictions. This cabinet must look at those five targets. I congratulate all of you on being sworn in today and I congratulate all the people of Uganda for having successfully held elections in spite of the coronavirus and other challenges. Now we have got a parliament and cabinet. So we are set now. This ceremony is part of the Constitution and we shall have our first cabinet meeting next Monday in Entebbe,” said Museveni.
He noted that in the last 35 years, a lot of growth has been achieved in terms of education, agriculture, life expectancy, reduced infant mortality, infrastructure and others. Museveni noted the cabinet should now resolve on having all Ugandan work for the stomach and money as well.
“39 per cent of homesteads are still in the non-money economy, meaning that 61 per cent of the economy are in the money economy. This cabinet must now resolve that all people work for the stomach and money as well,” he said.
The president noted that some of the achievements reached in the past have been maintained in spite of the opposition from political actors and also civil servants.
“We have been opposed in parliament, opposition of civil servants…it has been a struggle. Many of these achievements, were our innovations in spite of the opposition. Also, corruption has been a problem,” he noted.
Museveni says that if it wasn’t for the opposition, NRM would have achieved more in the past.
“I have problems in parliament, I get opposition; lobbying, talking, calling committees, boiling tea and coffee as if I’m asking people to weed my garden. Then also opposition from the civil servants, it has been a struggle, it has been a struggle because if you audit all these achievements many of them were our innovations in spite of the opposition by the different groups which you can name 1,2,3. Who brought up the milk sector? You tell me, who brought the milk sector? Was it the ministry of Agriculture? Not at all, it was us. What about maize when maize became a cash crop, the only person who helped me with maize was [Victoria] Ssekitoleko the former minister of Agriculture. The fruits, the what all these efforts that we make are by us but facing opposition from the political actors but also from the civil service.” Museveni said.
Deborah Katuramu, the deputy head of Public Service and deputy secretary to cabinet who oversaw the swearing in of the ministers said that the process is very important for cabinet to formally start government business.
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