National Resistance Movement leaders and residents in Kosoro district have not welcomed with contentment the new cabinet announced by President Yoweri Museveni on Monday.
Led by the Kisoro district NRM vice chairperson Ramadhan Ndukuyize, the locals and ruling party leaders are unhappy that the President ‘sidelined’ the people of Kisoro even though they overwhelmingly voted him and NRM candidates in the just concluded elections.
President Museveni polled 93% in the district while all the five members of parliament are from the ruling party.
“I would like to thank His Excellency for reappointing Dr Philemon Mateke as minister but I am disappointed that while Tress Bucyanayandi was dropped from cabinet, no one was appointed in his place from Kisoro,” said that party chairman.
Ndukuyize noted that all the five MPs of Kisoro District, namely Dr James Nsaba Buturo (Bufumbira East) Sam Bitangaro (Bufumbira South), Sam Byibisho (Kisoro Municipality) John Kamara (Bufumbira North) and Rose Kabagyenyi (Kisoro Woman MP) could ably serve in the new cabinet.
Ndukuyize who was the Kisoro District’s head of President Museveni’s campaign task force said that the locals expected to get at least three ministers, but were disappointed to be given only one, who is not even a member of Parliament.
“We are 390kilometers from the capital, and our only chance to share fairly on the national cake was through cabinet. We were shocked to see that even people from the opposition side were handed ministerial posts while we the most supportive districts were ignored.”
Geoffrey Murera, NRM chairperson for Nyarusiza sub county described the new cabinet as “hurting” and that the people of Kisoro were greatly disappointed.
Dr. James Nsaba Buturo, the former ethics and integrity minister who bounced back to Parliament in the last election, was among those highly hopeful to make it to the cabinet list.