President Yoweri Museveni has appointed the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) Chief Coordinator in the Greater Mpigi region, Juma Witonze Kisekka as the state minister for internal affairs.
Witonze’s appointment who recently sought election to the East African Legislative Assembly but didn’t go through, comes weeks after the State Minister-designate for Internal Affairs Dr. Lawrence Muganga, failed to secure approval from Parliament’s Appointments Committee, over dual citizenship.
Rumours started circulating last week of Witonze being the most favourable candidate who was being considered for the position to replace Dr Muganga by Mr Museveni.
During the recent vetting of minister designates, the appointments committe declined Dr. Lawrence Muganga’s appointment to the position over holding Ugandan, Rwandan, and Canadian citizenship.
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”.
