It is just six days to the State of the Nation Address by President Museveni and the new government is not yet fully structured.
ChimpReports has confirmed that the Central Executive Committee of the National Resistance Movement party is convening on Wednesday at State House Entebbe to deliberate and resolve on the two names for the Vice President and the Prime Minister.
It remains unclear if the president will brief the CEC members on the entire Cabinet formation.
The State of the Nation Address is constitutionally scheduled for Tuesday 31st May 2016 and cannot be changed unless the state of emergency has been declared.
Museveni retreated to his upcountry home Rwakitura this past Friday where he customarily prepares the cabinet list and was expected to fly back early this week to first sit with the NRM Caucus and agree with them on the two names for the Vice President and the Prime Minister.
A source from State House told ChimpReports on Tuesday morning that the president is going to start with meeting the CEC which is the highest administrative decision making organ before calling the Caucus members.
“Mzee (Museveni) is going to send out invitations to CEC members this (Tuesday) afternoon for a meeting tomorrow. Agenda not yet out but Cabinet is the thing,” a source who asked not to be named said.
ChimpReports contacted the Government Chief Whip, Ruth Nankabirwa who confirmed the development.
“It is true we have a CEC meeting tomorrow at State House Entebbe. I cannot tell you about the agenda,” Ms. Nankabirwa who is also the Kiboga woman Member of Parliament said on phone.
Tomorrow’s sitting, according to sources, will focus on the positions of the VP and the PM who are supposed to be approved in the Parliament’s plenary sitting known as the committee of the whole house.
The rest of the cabinet positions are approved by the Appointment’s Committee of Parliament.
Both Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi and Ruhakana Rugunda are expected to maintain their Vice President (VP) and Prime Minister (PM) positions respectively.
A powerful woman from Busoga had however wanted to become the VP and reportedly already wooed the appointment authority (Museveni) but last week’s development has eroded her chances.
Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who also hails from Busoga was maintained as the Speaker of Parliament and now two women from the same sub-region (Busoga) can hardly take the second (VP) and third (Speaker) most powerful positions in the land.
Also maintaining the status quo at Parliament where Jacob Oulanyah is retaining his position as Deputy Speaker also increases the chances of preserving Ssekandi and Rugunda in their positions.
CABINET LIST EXPECTATIONS
Two opposition members are expected in the cabinet and one of them expected to force the declaration of a coalition government between NRM and her party.
Uganda People Congress party and the NRM had a silent coalition in the presidential elections and one of them is supposed to be rewarded for the job well done.
ChimpReports in November last year exclusively broke the news of the alliance which most UPC stalwarts became uncomfortable with.
We have now also learnt that a silent pact was signed between the UPC leadership and President Museveni at State House Entebbe for a ministerial position.
The deal was facilitated by Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde who led Museveni’s subtle campaign and a senior NRM MP from Lango.
UPC has six members in the 10th Parliament and any appointment of its member(s) means a coalition government should be declared before crossing to the NRM side since the country is under multiparty system of government.
Another expectant opposition member on the Cabinet is the Uganda Federal Alliance party president Betty Olive Kamya. She lost in the last parliamentary elections.
From the NRM side state minister for Finance, David Bahati is expected to be elevated to a full cabinet position.
New names from NRM are Denis Hamson Obua representing Ajuri County in Parliament, Michael Kiwanda from Mityana, Osuk MP Peter Ogwang among others.