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By Spy Uganda
Four ministerial nominees were absent from the Cabinet swearing-in ceremony at State House Entebbe on Monday as government lawyers continue reviewing legal questions surrounding their citizenship status and compliance with constitutional requirements for public office.
The officials whose inauguration was deferred are Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Adonia Ayebare, State Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs) Calvin Echodu, State Minister-designate for Microfinance Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, and State Minister-designate for Internal Affairs Dr. Lawrence Muganga.
Their absence has intensified public attention on Uganda’s citizenship laws and the eligibility requirements for individuals appointed to senior government positions.
President Yoweri Museveni presided over the swearing-in ceremony, which was attended by senior government officials, including Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth and Chief Justice Flavian Zeija. A total of 78 Cabinet Ministers and Ministers of State took the oath of office.
Addressing the President before the commencement of the ceremony, Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe informed attendees that 78 appointees were present and ready to be sworn in. She added that one appointee was indisposed, while four others remained absent pending further guidance from the Presidency.
The fifth absentee was First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataaha Museveni, who reportedly missed the event due to illness.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the four absent nominees are currently the subject of legal consultations concerning dual or multiple citizenship status and the status of their foreign citizenship renunciation processes.
Reports indicate that government legal teams are examining whether the affected nominees have fully complied with all legal requirements before assuming ministerial office. The review is said to focus on whether initiating the renunciation process is sufficient under Ugandan law or whether formal approval and completion of the process by foreign authorities must first be obtained.
Sources familiar with the discussions said officials from the Ministry of Public Service advised against swearing in any nominee whose citizenship documentation and renunciation procedures had not been fully concluded.
The issue first emerged during Parliament’s vetting process. Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa later disclosed that the Appointments Committee had identified concerns involving four nominees after verification conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
According to Tayebwa, the committee found that three nominees held dual citizenship while one held multiple citizenships. Parliament subsequently reviewed documentation relating to their citizenship status and the steps each nominee had taken to renounce foreign allegiances.
Sources indicate that Ayebare, Echodu, and Musherure submitted documentation showing they had initiated formal renunciation procedures. However, questions reportedly remain regarding whether all legal requirements have been fully satisfied.
Dr. Muganga’s case attracted particular attention after reports emerged that the Appointments Committee declined to approve his nomination and referred the matter back to President Museveni for further consideration.
The decision to postpone the swearing-in of all four nominees suggests that government is awaiting definitive legal guidance before allowing them to formally assume office.
Officials familiar with the process say the affected nominees could be sworn in at a later date once the citizenship questions are resolved and all required legal documentation has been completed.
By Monday evening, neither State House nor the Ministry of Public Service had issued a detailed public statement explaining the absence of the four nominees.
Their delayed inauguration leaves four positions in the new Cabinet temporarily vacant as government seeks a final legal position on the citizenship matter.
The development is expected to reignite debate over the interpretation of Uganda’s citizenship laws and the standards applied to public officials seeking appointment to senior government positions.
, https://www.spyuganda.com/you-can-wait-four-ministerial-nominees-miss-cabinet-swearing-in-amid-citizenship-review/
