Following the reshuffle President Museveni made in his cabinet on Sunday, sabasaba brings you a list of personalities majorly Members of Parliament whose aspirations were crushed by the reshuffle that was released last evening. The MPs who have demonstrated unequaled loyalty, and almost paid with their lives to impress the authority, but… it didn’t work out.
1. Hon. Simeo Nsubuga
The Kassanda South MP tops the list of MPs who must be nursing a broken heart after his frantic efforts to demonstrate loyalty for NRM and Yoweri Museveni were crushed by the released cabinet list. His relentless ambitions to grab the attention of the appointing authority went bare during the Age-limit debate in 2017. Simeo gave the campaign to repeal age limit from the constitution all he had.
The vigor with which he spoke, the daring position he took during the campaign on age limit, says a lot of a man on a mission. In one grisly incident, Simeo almost paid with his life when he was slapped and punched by an angry anti-age limit supporter named Kyuma-kya Yesu.
Simeo was saved by fellow MPs who were present at an event hosted by the Kabaka of Buganda. He must be a disappointed fellow after this reshuffle. However, he remains the Spokesperson for the NRM Buganda parliamentary caucus, and he can count on his share of spoils he received during and after the age limit debate.
2. Eng. James Waluswaka
The Bunyole MP must be a disappointed and cursing the gods after this reshuffle. Waluswaka has never been shy to relate with NRM or Museveni whatsoever. He proudly identifies himself as a committed cadre of the movement. He religiously attends Party functions well decorated in party colors. Waluswaka’s loyalty to NRM can only be challenged by the Late Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga.
During the debate on OTT, Waluswaka openly told off Ugandans who don’t want to pay the tax to ‘go and die.’ His position on the matter landed him into problems when he was almost lynched by his voters and chased way from a burial ceremony.
Waluswaka’s recent shrewdness and charisma during the tabling and debate on matters of the prospective access bridge over Isimba Dam, speaks of a man eyeing something. An engineer by profession, Waluswaka demonstrated unusual zeal when he moved a motion over the alleged fraud in the dam project. He passionately pursued the matter, and debated like a person who had an agenda. He must have wished for Irene Muloni’s exit, but didn’t like the way Museveni’s substitution.
3. Hon. Doreen Amule
Doreen Amule is a daughter of Amolatar District in Northern Uganda who will be remembered as a co-sponsor of the controversial ‘age-limit bill.’ During the debate on the bill, Doreen could easily win an award of the best female promoter of age limit removal. She passionately spoke for it, and demonstrated readiness to strip whoever was opposed to bill.
She also survived being lynched for her position on age limit at the chagrin of her own voters. But her time to demonstrate loyalty to Museveni was during a probe into events that happened during the chaotic Arua by-election.
She did everything as the Chairperson of the select probe committee, to ensure the report does not implicate the big man’s government, in which she had big ambitions. Even when time came to present a seemingly injurious report, she refused to sign it despite having been endorsed by majority of committee members.
She must be very unhappy with the reshuffle. However, she can console herself with the Chair of Defense and Internal Affairs committee of parliament which she holds as a reward for seconding the introduction of the bill.
The list goes on and on…as Bukedea Woman MP Anita Amongi remains a surprise absentee.
4. Hon. Micheal Bukenya Bukuya MP and Health Committee Chairperson hoped to head the ministry of health. His harsh and critical stance against the ministry’s leadership especially during committees has been suspect to big aspirations.
5. Hon. Asuman Kiyingi, former State Minister for Works has also been aggressively lobbying to bounce back.
5. Hon. Alex Byarugaba the Isingiro South MP also hoped to be appointed to the environment docket but was disappointed. During his tenure as Chairperson Natural Resources Committee, Byarugaba aggressively demonstrated that he was up to something at times getting out of the way to catch the big man’s eye.
6. Bukedea Woman MP Anita Amongi is a surprise absentee on Museveni’s cabinet list. Well connected to state House and recently seen at Museveni’s ranch, Amongi could not have missed on the list. She may not be disappointed as such. After all, sabasaba is reliably informed she is heading for a surprise appointment soon.