Kabaka goes for full-time cabinet
Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi arrive for the launch of Heforshe campaign, a fight against domestic violence. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
All the ministers that Kabaka Mutebi appointed to his new, re-sized cabinet will be full-time employees of Buganda Kingdom as opposed to the earlier arrangement where they have been part-time workers, a source within the palace has told this newspaper.
Kabaka Mutebi, in the new cabinet announced on Friday, reduced the number of ministers and deputies from 26 to 13 by merging some and phasing out others.
This, our sources say, was based on a recommendation by Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga that the voluntary service on which the kingdom had depended since its reinstatement in 1993 had run its course.
Sources say that individuals who may be able to commit to working at Bulange on a full-time basis, such as lawyers Daudi Mpanga and Apollo Makubuya, who both run huge law firms, were moved out of the cabinet and assigned functions that suit their schedules.
Changes
Mr Mpanga has been moved from being attorney general and minister of local government to minister for special duties, and has been replaced by another prominent lawyer, Mr Christopher Bwanika.
“But also the choices of who remained and those who left were partly dictated by which ministries were rolled up together and the Katikkiro’s assessment of suitability,” the source said.
Before Kabaka Mutebi made changes in his re-sized cabinet, he reportedly had a chat with his officials before he dropped or shuffled them.
The new cabinet now has 12 ministers and two deputies with one permanent secretary, Ms Josephine Natenge Ssemanda, posted to the Office of the Katikkiro.
The cabinet is has seen some ministries merged but also som offices also entirely scrapped, including the post of the Third Deputy Katikkiro, formerly occupied by Apollo Nelson Makubuya, who has now been re-assigned as the chief palace advisor.
Dr Twaaha Kawaase becomes first deputy Katikkiro, replacing Mr Emmanuel Ssendawula, who moves on to chair the kingdom senior advisors council, which also has Mr William Matovu (former minister of Royal Treasury) and businessman Muhamood Thobani, who has been minister of trade, and William Nagagga, a former Permanent Secretary in the central government.
New assignment
Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa becomes Second Deputy Katikkiro, while the position of the Third Deputy Katikkiro has been scrapped.
One of Kabaka’s most loyal servants for so many years, David Kyewalabye-Male, has been moved from running the Buganda Land Board to lead a new merged ministry of Tourism, Luganda, Security, and Royal Tombs.
Officials who were not assigned
Some of the officials who have been serving in the outgoing cabinet were not assigned any duties, however. They include Nelson Kawalya, who was Speaker; Ben Kiwanuka Mukwaya (Health); Christine Mugerwa Kasule (Cabinet); Martin Kasekende (Land & Agriculture); Charles Bwenvu (State for Buganda Affairs Abroad); Yusuf Wamala Ggaganga (State for Culture); Sylivia Mazzi (State for Research); and Ritah Namyalo Kisitu (State for Tourism).
