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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called upon the recently appointed ministers to focus on combating corruption and mobilizing the masses for wealth creation. He emphasized that corruption undermines efforts but highlighted that by prioritizing these two objectives, 80 percent of the work can be accomplished.

President Museveni posing in a picture with new ministers

Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged the newly appointed ministers to fight corruption and mobilize masses on wealth creation.

“Corruption is a distorter since it undermines a lot of efforts, but if you do the two things; wealth creation mobilization and fighting corruption, 80 percent of the work will be done,” he told them.

The President made the remarks on Wednesday at State House Entebbe during the swearing-in ceremony of the six newly appointed ministers.

This happened a day after they were vetted and approved by Parliament’s appointments committee on Monday.

The new ministers include;

▪️ Lillian Aber, Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees

▪️ Dr. Kenneth Omona, Minister of State for Northern Uganda

▪️ Florence Wamala Nambozo, Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs

▪️ Phiona Nyamutoro, Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development in charge of Minerals

▪️ (Former Chief of Defence Forces) Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade and Co-operatives

▪️ Balaam Barugahara, Minister of State for the Youth and Children

The swearing-in ceremony was presided over by the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe, and witnessed by President Museveni.

The new appointments were announced in a Cabinet reshuffle announced last Thursday (March 21) by the President.In the reforms, Mary Goretti Kitutu was dropped as Karamoja affairs minister and replaced with Peter Lokeris.

The state minister for the same docket, Agnes Nandutu, was also dropped and replaced with Nambozo.

Vincent Ssempijja lost his position as defence minister, with Markson Jacob Oboth elevated from state minister to minister of this docket.

Six days after the announcement of the Cabinet reshuffle, Museveni congratulated the new ministers upon their appointment and tasked Balaam (pictured below speaking) with encouraging the youth to embrace any of the four sectors of the economy that can help them to create wealth.

They are commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services and ICT.

The President also pledged to pardon some opposition politicians and members who are accused of mobilizing the youth to stage illegal protests in the form of burning car tyres on the roads.

He said this would be on condition that they promise to never again take part in such criminality since government uses a lot of money to put up such infrastructure and protect lives of Ugandans.

On her part, Nakyobe urged the new ministers to live up to the confidence bestowed upon them by the President.

“I want to congratulate you upon this achievement, which is a big milestone in your lives. Your appointment signifies the confidence that the President has in you and the public in general, and I pray you live to meet whatever expectations the President has in you and the aspirations of the people of Uganda.

Nakyobe further introduced the new Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to President, Gloria Asio Omaswa, to the gathering.