Who are the new faces in Museveni’s Cabinet?

Persis Namuganza, state, lands
An accountant by profession and former Luweero deputy RDC, Ms Namuganza is serving her debut term in Parliament after emerging through an acrimonious election.
She won the Busiiki County Seat as an Independent, defeating the official NRM flag bearer.
With Inspector General of Police Kale Kayihura attending her victory party recently where he apologised for the mess in the elections, is testimony of how connected she is to powerful circles in the regime.

Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny - state minister for northern Uganda

Ms Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny is the new state minister for Northern Uganda .
She attended Lower Zombo Primary School, Warr Girls School for her O-level, and thereafter, Tororo Girls School for her A-level. Besides holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University, Ms Kwiyucwiny holds a post-graduate diploma in management and a master’s degree in Business Administration.
She is also a consultant with AKIJUL, a local NGO involved in development and evaluation of programmes that address human rights, governance, HIV/Aids and agriculture.
Ms Kwiyucwiny facilitated organisational self-assessment and developed a strategic plan for Coalition of Political Accountability to Women, policy analysis for women civic and political leaders for Uganda.
Ms Kwiyucwiny lost in many parliamentary elections before finally winning the Zombo Woman MP seat 2011.
She has initiated poultry projects in Zombo and paid tuition for many disadvantaged children, among other things.
In Parliament, she drafted a motion to demand the paving of the Goli-Zombo-Arua road as well as construction of a district hospital in the area.
She was a member of the ad hoc committee that probed allegations that former prime minister Amama Mbabazi and ministers Sam Kutesa and Hillary Onek had taken bribes from oil companies.

Mbayo Esther, Presidency minister
A graduate of Bachelor of Commerce from Makerere University, Ms Esther Mbayo Mbulakubuza is the Luuka District Woman MP and also doubles as the district NRM Women’s League chairperson.
She is also a secretary to the Busoga Women Leader’s Association. She attended Wanyange Girls SS in Jinja District for both her Ordinary and Advanced levels.
She is married to Mr George Mbayo and they have three children.

Mary Goretti Katutu

An environmentalist by training with a PhD, the new State minister for Environment has enjoyed stints in the National Environmental Management Authority where she served as a systems information specialist before joining the World Bank. She is the Manafwa Woman MP.

Obiga Kania

Having lost to FDC strongman Kasiano Wadri on three occasions, the former director for research at the NRM Secretariat, got a reprieve when Terego County was divided, creating Terego East, which he scooped. He is the new minister of state for Internal Affairs.

Godfrey Kiwanda
The newly appointed minister of state for Tourism has risen through the political ranks from youth chairperson in Mubende Youth Council in 1997, to sub-county chairman and RDC Kabong, before shooting to Parliament as the Mityana County North MP In 2011. He will be serving his third term.
A born- again Christian, teacher by training with added qualifications in public speaking and, entrepreneurship, Mr Kiwanda was the chairman of the powerful Buganda Caucus in the 9th Parliament and a respected voice in the House.
He led the Elect Oulanyah Task Force before the NRM declared Ms Rebecca Kadaga the party’s unopposed candidate for Speaker.

Joyce moriku

Dr Joyce Moriku, the Moyo Woman MP, has been appointed as State Minister for Primary Health Care.
A trained paediatrician, Dr Moriku joined politics in 2016 after trouncing her predecessor MP Anne Auru.
She previously worked at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital. Her late father, Lt Laba, served in the army.

She attended her O-Level education at Moyo Secondary School. She later joined sisterhood in the Congregation of Sacred Heart Sisters.
Between 1995 and 2000, she studied Medicine at Mbarara University. She later enrolled for her Master’s degree, majoring in Paediatrics.
She hails from Idrimare, Laropi in Moyo District. Her husband, Prof Gaducu, is a lecturer at Gulu University.

Rosemary Seninde

The new Minister of State for Primary Education is serving her third Term in Parliament as Wakiso Woman MP.
Ms Seninde is a trusted cadre of President Museveni in an opposition backyard of the peri-urban Wakiso District. She authored the famous ‘Seninde Report’, an audit into the mess that marred the 2010 NRM primaries. Those in the know say Mr Museveni was happy with the way she handled that specific assignment.
A professional teacher, Ms Seninde is passionate about matters education and was the brainchild of the Parliament Forum on Quality Education.

Monica Azuba, Minister of works
Ms Monica Ntege Azuba joins Cabinet after an impressive record in the private sector. She is currently the manager of facilities, Stanbic Bank, Uganda.
Ms Azuba has also enjoyed stints in the Private Sector Foundation, Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo, National Housing and Construction Corporation and Kilembe Mines Ltd.
Education: A trained engineer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Engineering), she is also a professional golfer.
She is currently the president of the All Africa Challenge Trophy(ACCT) and was part of the team that represented Uganda at the All Africa Challenge Trophy (AACT) tournament in Tunisia in April.
She currently serves as a board member of the Uganda National Raods Authority, having joined it in April 2014.

Sam Cheptoris - Minister for Water & envt
The towering and imposing man has his story written typically from grass to grace. Born on December 12, 1949, in present-day Kapchorwa District, the Nabumali High School and Nairobi University educated academician cum politician has climbed up the ladder from scratch.
His career stretches back to 1975 when after Nairobi University, he started teaching Literature and English Language at Sebei College, Tegeres. After two years, he went to Makerere University for a postgraduate diploma in Education. This saw him rise to deputy head teacher when he returned to Sebei College until 1981. In 1982, he went back to Makerere to pursue a Master’s degree in Education.
Two years later, he was transferred to Comboni College and to Gamatui Girls in 1986. In 1998 he was posted to Sebei College as head teacher. It is at Sebei College that his star shone. His stick and carrot approach to management earned him respect, fear and love in equal measure.
The greatest highlight of his tenure, however, is spotting the young talent in athletics and offering them scholarships. Among the many athletes are the world and Olympic gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich.
After retiring in 2009, he in 2011 vied for the Kapchorwa District LC5 position on the NRM ticket and won. But after one term, he wanted the Tingey County MP seat, but the creation of Kapchorwa Municipality placed him in a new constituency.
His placement in the Water and Environment docket was a surprise to electorate who know him best for academics.

Mutuuzo Peace - state, gender & culture

An environmentalist by training, the newly-appointed Minister of State for Gender and Culture stood for the Kabarole Woman MP seat but lost in the NRM primaries.

A former guild president at National Teachers College Kakoba in Mbarara [now Bishop Stuart University, Ms Mutuuzo, 41, cut her teeth in politics at State House where she has been President Museveni’s private secretary. She has also trained in public administration and management at the Uganda Management Institute.

Joy Kabatsi Kafura

The newly-appointed state minister for Animal Husbandry is a Dar-es-Salaam University- trained lawyer.
Ms Kabatsi is a renowned milk dealer in the cattle corridor Sembabule District-where she has established milk coolers.
She comes in with the unenviable tag of a three- time loser for the Sembabule Woman MP race. She is a former State House legal officer and has also served as a board member of the National Agricultural Research Organisation board.

Herbert Kabafunzaki, Minister of State for Labour
Herbert Kabafunzaki was elected Rukiga County Member of Parliament after defeating FDC’s Jack Sabiti in this year’s general election.
He was born on December 21, 1971, in Rukiga County, Kabale District. He attended Makerere University in 1996. Earlier, he attended St Henry’s College Kitovu and Kigezi High School for his secondary education. He describes himself as articulate, developmental and foresighted.

Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo, Minister of State for Micro-Finance
Kasolo is a new comer in the NRM family. He scooped the Kyotera County seat in 2011 as an Independent after defeating an NRM candidate. He has since defected to the NRM and was even elected Rakai District NRM chairman.
A graduate of Business Administration, Mr Kasolo is never afraid to court controversy. In 2013, he threatened court action against Speaker Rebecca Kadaga after she allowed MPs to withdraw their signatures from a motion to recall Parliament, consequently failing the process.

Moses Kizige, Minister of State for Karamoja
One of the NRM’s fervent mobilisers in Busoga, Mr Kizige bounced back to Parliament after regaining his Bugabula North Constituency. After losing the seat in 2006, he was compensated with an appointment as Senior Presidential Advisor on Foreign Affairs.