President Museveni on Tuesday released his Cabinet list, appointing five new ministers from Busoga Sub-region, including former Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, who was named First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs.
Other appointments from the sub-region include Ms Rukia Nakadama (Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio), Ms Mariam Doka Babalanda (Office of the President), Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba (General Duties in OPM) and Mr Fred Kyakulaga Bwino (State, Agriculture).
While the region celebrates the appointments, it has now been established that Ms Kadaga was on the verge of turning down Mr Museveni’s appointment until a three-man delegation from Busoga met her at her home in Muyenga, a Kampala suburb, on Wednesday.
The delegation included Mr Brandon Alex Kintu, the Kagoma North MP; Mr Ibrahim Kyoto Muruli, the Budiope West MP; and, Mr Mula Anthony, the chief executive officer of Busoga Consortium, an association that brings together MPs and local leaders to plan for the sub-region.
“The woman (Kadaga) was planning to reject the appointment, but that team went to her early in the morning on Wednesday and persuaded her to not say ‘No!’,” a source said.
Shortly after Ms Kadaga’s appointment, reports started swirling, especially on social media, that the Kamuli Woman MP had rejected her new ministerial appointment.
But Mr Kintu would later tell local media in Busoga that Ms Kadaga was appreciative of her appointment and was looking forward to the task ahead.
The source said Ms Kadaga had reportedly said the slot was “too small” for her. “She told somebody that it was like an insult to her; it’s a very small thing and that she was against putting her under someone who has been smaller (sic) than her,” the source said.
