Museveni Hints on Appointment of New Cabinet

President Yoweri Museveni has revealed how he is soon releasing the new cabinet.

While addressing the NRM caucus at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Museveni, who also doubles as the Party national chairperson hinted on how he will sooner than later release the appointees for Vice President and Prime Minister.

"As you know the new government has started. So very soon I will be naming the new Vice President and Prime Minister which will be followed by the cabinet," Museveni said. He further urged the NRM MPs to overwhelmingly back him in his choice of candidate for Vice President and Prime Minister.

Article 108(1) and 108A(1) of the Constitution requires that the House approves the person nominated to be Vice President and Prime Minister respectively by simple majority vote.

Museveni also told the NRM caucus that he will maintain the number of cabinet Ministers, but only have one additional Minister of State. This will bring the total number of both cabinet and state ministers to 80 up from 79 in 2016. The previous NRM government had 31 cabinet ministers and 48 state ministers.

During the caucus meeting convened majorly to constitute parliamentary committee members, President Museveni and NRM MPs agreed to vary the cabinet. 

Article 113(2) and 114(3) of the Constitution allows the President to appoint not more than 21 cabinet ministers and not more than 21 state ministers respectively except with the approval of Parliament.

On June 14th, 2016, then Kiboga Woman MP Ruth Nankabirwa (outgoing Chief Whip) tabled a motion for a resolution of Parliament to vary number of cabinet and state ministers. Even in the 11th Parliament, the House will have to approve a similar motion to vary number of ministers if the 80 man cabinet is to be legally constituted.

At the same caucus meeting, NRM MPs filled expression of interest forms for the various committees of parliament as requested by the NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba. Parliamentary Rules of Procedure dictate that each Member shall belong to one sectoral and standing committee.