Why Museveni shuffled ambassadors

President Museveni Sunday reshuffled his representatives abroad, dropping the last two remaining career diplomats.

A cloud of panic, tension, and apprehension had during the last months been building inside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Kampala, and at Uganda’s Mission’s abroad over the reshuffle.

About two weeks ago, the President, according to highly placed diplomatic sources, called senior technocrats in the ministry inquiring about representation of Muslims in the foreign service, whom he has given more posts this time unlike previously.

As such, the President tapped Ms Nusura Tiperu, the former National Resistance Movement’s Arua Municipality parliamentary candidate as ambassador to Ankara, Turkey, in place of Mr Stephen Mubiru, who has been reassigned to Berlin, Germany.

Other Muslims appointments include Mr Muhammad Tezikuba Kisambira, the deputy head of mission to Tehran, Iran, who has been elevated to full ambassador.  

Falid Kaliisa is now ambassador to Kinshasa, Dr Congo replacing Mr James Mbahimba, who was dropped.
Mr Hassan Galiwango, the former NRM director of finance and administration, has been retained.

Mr Yahaya Sssemudu, who was rejected by Tehran, Iran in 2017 owing to his previous stint in Saudi Arabia, was named ambassador to Khartoum, Sudan, replacing Mr James Kinobe, who was dropped.

Former Dokolo North MP  Paul Amoru was named High Commissioner to Pretoria, South Africa, replacing Ms Barbara Nekesa, who was mid-this year tapped as treasurer at the NRM Secretariat.

Other new faces include Ms Margaret Bakyiira to Copenhagen, Denmark, replacing the embattled Nimisha Madhvani who has been moved to London. 

Robbie Kakonge was named ambassador to Washington DC, replacing Mr Mull Katende, who was dropped.
Ambassador Katende, who joined Foreign Service in 1981 was among the last two remaining career diplomats, rising  through the ranks from a foreign service officer (3rd secretary) to 2nd secretary, 1st secretary, counsellor, minister counsellor to ambassador.

The other career diplomat, Mr Richard Kabonero, previously posted to Dar-es Salaam, Tanzania, was dropped.

He was replaced by Col (Rtd) Fred Mwesigye, who lost his Nyabushozi County parliamentary seat.

Ms Doreen Amule, the former Amolatar Woman MP and chairperson of the parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs, was named ambassador to Paris, France, replacing Mr Richard Nduhuura who was dropped.

Maj Gen Robert Rusoke, who was among the 14 generals retired from the army in August, was named High Commissioner to Kigali, Rwanda, replacing Ms Oliver Wonekha, who has been reassigned to Beijing, China.

The position fell vacant following the resignation of Dr Crispus Kiyonga to contest in the NRM primaries.
Former MP Betty Bigombe, who until 2017 worked as senior director for fragility, conflict and violence at the World Bank in Washington, was named ambassador to  Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, replacing former minister Without Portfolio, Ms Dorothy Hyuha, who was moved to Canberra, Australia.

From Australia, Ms Joyce Kikafunda was reassigned to New Dehli, India, replacing Ms Grace Akello who was dropped.

Other new appointees include  former presidential adviser and State minister for Karamoja Affairs Moses Kizige, who lost the Bugabula South parliamentary seat in the just concluded polls, who was named ambassador to Moscow, Russia. He replaces Mr Johnson Agara, who was dropped.

Ms Elizabeth Musaazi was named as Uganda’s first ambassador to Havana, Cuba, previously overseen by Uganda’s High Commission in Ottawa, Canada, while Ms Judith Nsababeera was named as consul to Guangzhou, China, replacing Ambassador Stephen Rutega, who was dropped.

Col (Rtd) Julius Kihaanda was named ambassador to Luanda, Angola, a position that the sacked Internal Security Organisation  boss, Col Kaka Bagyenda rejected. 

The former State minister for Transport, Mr Stephen Chebrot, was retained as ambassador to Doha, Qatar.  
Former NRM Woman MP Tophas Kaahwa was assigned to Tokyo, Japan, replacing Ms Betty Akech Okullu, who was dropped. Also dropped is Mr Julius Moto from London, UK.

Retained
Those retained include Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to UN in New York, Mr  Sam Maale in Cairo, Egypt, Ms Ruth Aceng in Ottawa, Brig Ronnie Balya in Juba, South Sudan, and Mr Isaac Ssebulime in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Others are Ms Rebecca Otengo in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Ms Elizabeth Napeeyok in Rome, Italy, Mr Alintuma Nsambu in Algiers, Algeria, Prof Sam Turyamuhika in Mogadishu, Somalia, and Mr Nelson Orcheger in Abuja, Nigeria.

Ambassador Mercel Tibaleka was reassigned from Berlin, Germany, to Uganda’s Multilateral Mission in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The previous envoy to Geneva, Christopher Onyanga Aparr, died last year.

President Museveni also tapped the deputy coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, Lt Gen Charles Angina as deputy ambassador to Cairo, the head of communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Alfred Nnam as deputy envoy to Abuja, Maj Gen (rtd) Nathan Mugisha as deputy in Mogadishu, and Ms Margaret Kyoguire as deputy envoy to New Dehli, replacing former Democratic Party stalwart Mohammed Kezaala.