Three New Ministers Sworn In Before Parliament

What the report says

Parliament in Uganda has sworn in three newly appointed ministers, formally completing a vetting process that had drawn public attention over questions about the citizenship status of some nominees. The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and followed Parliament’s earlier approval of the appointments.

The ministers sworn in were Adonia Ayebare as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shartsi Kutesa Musherure as Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development in charge of Microfinance, and Juma Witonze as Minister of State for Internal Affairs. They received their instruments of office after taking the oath, with several government officials and Members of Parliament present.

The article says the appointments came after a contentious review by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee, which had at one stage sidelined some nominees amid allegations of dual citizenship. The Constitution places citizenship-related requirements on holders of certain public offices in Uganda, including ministers, which made the matter politically sensitive.

Speaking after the swearing-in, Tayebwa rejected suggestions that Parliament had targeted nominees based on tribe or background, saying lawmakers were applying the law. He said the process was meant to confirm whether nominees met legal requirements for public office. The swearing-in allows the ministers to begin their duties in portfolios linked to foreign relations, microfinance, and internal affairs, areas that are important to government administration and public service delivery.