President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has tasked the 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 an address to the Ministers who took oath on Monday during a ceremony that was held at 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.
The 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 and others.
The function follows last week’s vetting process by Parliament’s Appointments Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Anita Among.
“This is a cabinet of cohesion. I want the program of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) 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 favor from anybody. And don’t tolerate corruption under you,” warned Museveni.
The President added that the third mission of the new Cabinet is integration and that this is 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. The President also tasked the new cabinet to be patriotic and 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.
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 any more. 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 percent of homesteads are still in the non-money economy, meaning that 61% of the economy are in the subsistence economy. This Cabinet must now resolve that all people work to feed and earn money as well,” he said.
The President noted that some of the achievements reached in the past have been maintained inspite of the opposition from political actors and also civil servants.
“We have been opposed in Parliament, opposed by civil servants…it has been a struggle. Many of these achievements, were our innovations inspite of the Opposition. Also corruption has been a problem,” he noted.
Museveni says that if it was not for the opposition, they would have achieved more in the past.
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.
She said that the appointment of new Ministers is a clear indication of the confidence that President has in the appointees in fulfilling his aspirations in the transformation of Uganda into a middle income country. URN