The 80 approved ministerial designates will take the oath of allegiance and oath of minister at State House Entebbe today, as four ministers designates entangled in dual and multi citizenship controversy, await President Yoweri Museveni’s decision as he awaits an advisory report from the Public Service on their eligibility to hold cabinet office.
The quartet includes, Dr. Lawrence Muganga the State Minister-designate for Internal Affairs, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs, Calvin Echodu, the State Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs) and Shartsi Musherure, the State Minister-designate for Microfinance.
According to an official citizenship verification report from the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, is listed as holding both Ugandan and United States citizenship.
Dr. Lawrence Muganga, is reported as holding Ugandan, Rwandan, and Canadian citizenship, Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, is listed as holding both a Ugandan and American citizenship, while Calvin Echodu had no formal record of dual citizenship on file, though immigration records indicated possession of both Ugandan and American travel documents.
While Uganda permits dual citizenship, Article 15(7) of the Constitution empowers Parliament to restrict holders of dual nationality from occupying certain public offices.
The Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control (Amendment) Act of 2009 lists several sensitive state positions that dual citizens may not hold, with the Fifth Schedule to the Act explicitly citing the offices of “Cabinet Minister and other Ministers”.
Parliament has in recent day’s faced scrutiny over the citizenship of several presidential appointees.
