| Anti-Museveni demos over Karooro
Parliament approves all nominees so far PARLIAMENT GENERAL Salim Saleh Akandanaho was all smiles yesterday moments before he faced the House vetting committee to defend his nomination.
My internal exile is over, said the general, smartly dressed in a blue suit.
Saleh disclosed to Daily Monitor that his
preferred ministerial deployment is to be in charge of micro finance, but left the matter to the appointing authority.
I am not surprised but excited. My internal exile has ended. I have not been in any formal assignment since 1989 when I was just 29 years old, the retired army officer said after being scrutinised by the vetting committee.
Saleh, 46, is one of the 23 nominees for ministerial appointment approved by the Committee yesterday.
He said his new role was a challenge, but added that he was ready for it. He said Ugandans are facing a problem in accessing credit and markets, realising better production and lack of employment, adding that he will be interested in being part of the solution. ![]() | | EXCITED: Gen. Salim
Saleh | ![]() | | FANS BITTER: Ms Karooro | ![]() | | CV TROUBLES: Nakadama | Over past allegations of corruption, Saleh said he told the committee that he is a better person now and better focused. He said he asked the committee not to focus on the past alone but also the future.
Saleh is a young brother to President Yoweri Museveni. He is a military officer and a bush war hero. Born in 1960, Saleh abandoned formal education in Form Two to join the armed struggle, but resumed school years later and attained Alevel.
He served as a commander of the Reserve Force (1990-2001) Overseer Ministry of Defence (1998),
Senior Presidential Adviser (1996-1998), Army Commander (1989). He is presidential adviser on Luwero Triangle and Northern Uganda Reconstruction.
Others vetted yesterday included the Mayuge district woman MP Ms Lukia Isanga. Her approval is still pending after a committee member claimed that Isanga used another persons academic papers to come to Parliament.
Sources told Daily Monitor that Aruu MP Odonga Otto told the committee that Isanga had used Zainabu Mutesi's academic papers to get to Parliament. If the allegations can be proved, the MP would lose her seat in Parliament, a ministerial post and possibly end up in prison.
Otto claimed that Zainabu Mutesi is a teacher in Mayuge.
Sources said Isanga tried to explain that Zainabu Mutesi was their family name. It took the committee quite some time to resolve the matter, and when it was later put to a vote, three MPs including Odongo Otto voted against her approval while 12 supported.
Sources
said Isanga was unstable before the committee. Otto insisted that he would bring the evidence incriminating Isanga, a request Speaker Edward Ssekandi accepted.
The process, that started in the morning, kicked off well with Mr Hilary Onek appearing first before the committee. He was followed by Dr Stephen Malinga (Butebo) and Dorothy Hyuha (Butaleja).
Many new ministers told journalists after the vetting that their appointments were surprises because they had not been contacted before. Many pledged to join the fight against corruption.
Mr David Wakikona (Manjiya) said he would follow Museveni's direction to see that corruption is eliminated.
Asked which ministry he would manage best, Wakikona said, "Its up to the appointing authority but I am more experienced in aviation and communication," he said.
Malinga said he would work hard as a skilled doctor to see that NRM programmes in the health sector succeed.
He said he was ready to work in
any ministry but would perform better in Health, being his profession.
Ms Dorothy Hyuha said she was happy to be recognized after 10 years of hard work in Parliament.
Others vetted yesterday included Maj. James Kinobe, Onek Hilary, Sulaiman Madada, Nelson Gagawala, Bright Rwamirama, Serapio Rukundo, Eriyo Jessica, Dr. Kasirivu Atwoki, John Byabagambi, Fred Ruhindi, Alintuma Nsambu, Simon DUjanga.
Lt James Kinobe said he is an all round man, he is ready to serve under any ministry where he will be posted. He however said he would serve best under Defence or Local Government ministries.
Sulaiman Madada, another minister and MP for Baale County said it was by surprise that he was appointed minister.
From Bushenyi, Sam Amanyire reports that NRM women supporters yesterday demostrated against Museveni for not appointing their MP Mary Karooro Okurut, saying he had betrayed the support given to him during elections.
"We gave Museveni our votes
because of Mary (Karooro) and he won with the highest number of votes but we are surprised she is not mentioned in the new cabinet," said Kamacunda Erina of Bushenyi town.
In an attempt to armtwist the President, the supporters carried placards that read; Karooro should be minister, Karooro is our best choice, Karooro is our hope and we want Museveni and Karooro.
They trecked from Ishaka to Bushenyi town and camped at the NRM offices.
The supporters were addressed by the town council NRM general secretary, Mr Seru Byekwaso, who said that many people who are pro-development had been disappointed by Karooro's missing a cabinet job.
Elesewhere, Rodney Muhumuza and Tabu Butagira report that although the list of nominees to Cabinet reflects a countrywide diversity, it will not be enough to avert a range of complaints that are already arising from far and wide.
In some areas, such as West Nile, where Museveni lost to FDC leader Kizza Besigye in
the February elections, the basis of the complaints is not exactly connected to injured loyalty but rather the plain conviction that they have been ignored.
While Museveni lost all the six West Nile districts to Besigye, in the new line-up, he nominated former UEB manager Simon D'ujanga and professional banker Fred Omach (both from Nebbi district), auditor Simon Ejua from Arua, James Baba from Koboko and Jessica Eriyo from Adjumani. He, however, dropped Moses Ali, Zoe Bakoko Bakoru, Okumu Ringa and Agard Didi.
Today, a list of 35 nominees who are all former ministers have been lined up to face the committee.
The 35 have been divided into two groups; one with nine nominees and the other containing 26 nominees. A source on the appointments committee told Daily Monitor that the nine nominees would receive a thorough grilling from the committee because they were either previously dropped from Cabinet or their ministries did not perform well in the previous
Cabinet.
These include Kategaya, Bbumba, Kuteesa, Otafiire, Rukutana, Namiyangu, Hope Mwesigye, Fred Mukisa and Gabriel Opio. |
