As Uganda nears the May 12 inauguration, the battle for cabinet slots in President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s seventh term has shifted into overdrive, with intense lobbying, strategic positioning, and fresh names surfacing from within ruling party circles.
Credible political sources familiar with the inner workings of power in Kampala say a new crop of legislators, both elected and returning, are being fronted for inclusion in what is shaping up to be a politically calibrated cabinet.
“The president is putting final touches to the list in time for next month’s inauguration. Many new and young faces will feature,” the source intimdated to us.
It shuld be noted, that after an election cycle, Museveni reshuffles the system to realign his troops for the tasks ahead. The changes take place in cabinet, Permanent Secretaries, ambassadors, the ruling NRM party structure and other critical state institutions.
Sources say among those mentioned for cabinet are; Justine Nameere, the Masaka City MP-elect, alongside Shartsi Musherure, the outgoing Mawogola North legislator. Desire Muhooza, the Kiboga District Woman MP-elect, Dr. Lakisa Mercy of Alebtong, and Kaliro Woman MP Brenda Namukuta are also reportedly in the mix, reflecting a blend of regional balancing and generational renewal.
David Kabanda, Secretary General of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), is another name gaining traction. His proximity to Muhoozi Kainerugaba, whose political influence continues to grow, has strengthened his prospects, according to insiders.
Veteran politician Amelia Kyambadde, who staged a political comeback by reclaiming her Mawokota seat, is also under consideration, indicating that experience and loyalty remain valuable currency in Museveni’s political calculus.
In Kasese, a district that delivered a significant electoral shift in favour of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), expectations are high that the region will be rewarded with representation at the executive level—another nod to the President’s long-standing practice of political reciprocity.
Meanwhile, the return of Crispus Kiyonga to Parliament after two unsuccessful attempts has placed him in a delicate position. Currently serving as Chancellor of Makerere University, his potential cabinet appointment raises questions about whether he would relinquish the academic role for a return to frontline politics.
Sources indicate that Museveni’s well-known vetting machinery is already in motion, with intelligence and party structures closely scrutinizing potential appointees.
“His people are always scanning social media and other platforms to assess who can deliver while keeping the national mood aligned in his favour,” a source revealed, underscoring the increasingly data-driven nature of political selection.
This latest wave of lobbying builds on an already complex matrix of considerations, loyalty, electoral performance, regional balance, and emerging power centres, pointing to a cabinet that will not only govern but also signal the evolving dynamics of power within Uganda’s political landscape.
