President Yoweri Museveni has named Patriotic League of Uganda official Juma Witonze Kisekka as State Minister for Internal Affairs following Parliament’s failure to approve the earlier nomination of Dr Lawrence Muganga.
Witonze currently coordinates PLU activities in the Greater Mpigi region, where he serves as the organisation’s Chief Coordinator.
Besides his involvement in the PLU, Witonze has a background in diplomacy and politics.
He previously contested for a position in the East African Legislative Assembly and had recently shown interest in participating in a by-election for the regional legislature.
Click here to join our WhatsApp Group and Receive Daily News
His nomination to the Cabinet comes after Muganga’s attempt to take up the Internal Affairs position ran into difficulties before Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
The committee raised questions about Muganga’s citizenship during the vetting process.
Officials familiar with the matter said MPs considered information contained in a Ministry of Internal Affairs verification report concerning Muganga’s association with Ugandan, Canadian and Rwandan citizenship.
The questions meant the committee did not immediately recommend him for approval.
Muganga reportedly challenged claims that he continued to hold Rwandan citizenship.
Committee members, however, wanted documentary evidence from the appropriate authorities to resolve the issue before approving his nomination.
Other nominees who faced similar questions over foreign citizenship reportedly submitted evidence showing that they had begun the legal process of renouncing citizenship held outside Uganda.
They included Adonia Ayebare, Calvin Echodu and Sharsti Kutesa Musherure.
Sources familiar with the proceedings said Muganga did not produce equivalent documentation during his vetting.
With the committee unable to approve the nomination, the matter was returned to President Museveni for further action.
Museveni has subsequently turned to Witonze to fill the position.
The appointment places another official associated with the Patriotic League of Uganda in Cabinet and gives Witonze a national government role after his involvement in regional PLU mobilisation and EALA politics.
He is expected to go through Parliament’s vetting process before formally assuming the ministerial position.
Also Read: Amama Mbabazi’s Daughter Wanted Over Unpaid Shs 450m Loan
