There are many great things for which the Government of Uganda (GoU) has won international acclaim since 1986 and one such thing is the deliberate emancipation of women including those holding cabinet positions. This is something the NRM government has excelled at doing since 1986 including breaking the record of producing Africa’s first ever female Vice President (Specioza Kazibwe). In this feature story, we reflect on some of the female ministers, the capacity Government has built in each of them and what generally makes them tick.
FLORENCE NAKIWALA KIYINGI
She joined the NRM cabinet from the background of excellent public service at Mengo where she was simply one of the most excellent Kabaka Ministers. She held various dockets at Mengo including that of Youths and Tourism. Mengo is one establishment that doesn’t have funding meaning in most cases, people are given responsibility with barely any facilitation to write home about. Nakiwala always surprised many including the Kabaka by always being excellent at raising funding to run her docket. She was versatile in her approach and her programs were always agreeable to corporate entities. By the time she ceased being Minister, Nakiwala had greatly raised the profile of the Tourism docket that it had become synonymous with her. Little has been heard about the Mengo Tourism docket since her departure. Nakiwala has a presence in many things including sports and public transport sector having started out as a fresh graduate working with defunct UTODA. In the sports arena, her profile peaked a few years ago when she became President Express FC before being replaced by the President’s lawyer Kiwanuka Kiryowa. Mr. KK didn’t inherit a rosy situation at Wankulukuku but the manner in which Nakiwala raised its profile gave Express FC more visibility and increased its attractiveness. Nakiwala has many selling points as a minister including being an effective mobilizer of women and young people. This is what must have attracted the President to make her minister replacing Ronald Kibule. Her effectiveness as a mobilizer in that docket has only been diminished by the hostilities her envious senior Minister Janet Mukwaya has been directing at her. This has taken young people being incited to denounce her during public functions and technocrats in the Ministry being manipulated not to warm up to her. But being a fighter, Nakiwala soldiered on until Mukwaya & co saw the futility of beefing such a naturally favored person. Nakiwala is also deeply rooted in the Catholic Church whereby she doesn’t need appointment to see the Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga. And through her, Museveni has been able to reach out to a number of influential lay Catholics and clergy and woo them unto his side. Many would-be vocal Catholic clerics are these days quiet and apolitical largely because of Nakiwala’s clandestine efforts to reach out to them. She is also into philanthropy including an orphanage near her home in Mutundwe. Nakiwala is leveraging on her ministerial position and closeness to Yoweri & Janet Museveni to prepare a grand political onslaught on Bukomansimbi for which she is slated to become the District Woman MP in 2021. She is calm and well-collected the very reason she doesn’t have many enemies in Cabinet where intrigue is the order of the day. She is perceived as one who wishes everyone well including her own foes. Amiable Nakiwala is also pretty, flamboyant and wealthy. She has many business to her name including real estate in Kampala and Lubowa. That’s all on top of her very lucrative Lisa Medical Center, a private hospital & medical insurance scheme which has branches in different suburbs of Kampala with headquarters in Mengo along Wakaliga Road. Politically, her star can only rise since age is still on her side.
EVELYN ANITE
The Minister of Investment and Privatization doesn’t need much introduction. She famously championed Museveni’s 2016 sole candidature in a manner that effectively thwarted Amama Mbabazi’s dream to stand against Museveni for the position of National Chairman and flag bearer for NRM. Museveni was very grateful and rewarded her with a ministerial posting as youth Minister whereafter she was posted to Finance as State Minister. The NRM leader had previously saved her the disgrace of having to be seen harassing Koboko woman MP the elderly Babadiri by specially creating Koboko Municipality which she currently represents. Anite is young but very powerful to the extent that more senior Ministers lobby her to plead their case before Museveni. She is also connected and well-networked with PPS Molly Kamukama being one of her best personal friends. Recently Kabaka hosted the President at his Banda Palace and he carried her along telling the king people like her are important at such meetings because they represent the future of the NRM revolution.
IRENE MULONI
The energy Minister is now an ex-officio having lost her MP Seat in 2016. That she lost her seat and kept her Cabinet slot is proof of how much the appointing authority trusts her. Muloni, who is ever smiling, is strengthened by a number of factors including being a technical Minister because energy is her thing right from school at Makerere where she graduated in early 1980s. She is looking forward to bouncing back as MP because voters in Bulambuli are already regretting voting her out.
JANE RUTH ACENG
This devout Born Again Lady is Minister of Health which is her area of training. Before being made Minister, Aceng was Director General Health Services in the same Ministry. Her position is critical because health is one of the most important services offered by government and doing what she studied makes Aceng, an ex-officio MP, tick. She is also close to First Lady Janet Museveni who likes her for being very prayerful.
SARAH OPENDI
She is state Minister at health and also woman MP Tororo District. Unknown to many people, Opendi is assertive and very outspoken in Cabinet and Ministry donor meetings. She is also intelligent, eloquent and reads a lot.
JANET MUSEVENI
As First Lady, Janet is naturally very powerful yet there is much more beyond that. She is a team player and a good listener to her own staff during meetings, the very reason there are now high levels of self-esteem and morale among Education Ministry staff in comparison to what her predecessor Jessica Alupo left.
JENNIFER NAMUYANGU
She is the State Minister of Local Government deputizing elderly Tom Butime. Namuyangu is also an MP from Bukedi sub region and she is very energetic and likes going to the field as opposed to being an armchair Minister. She is also an effective mobilizer and was rewarded for dwarfing Mbabazists in her District including ex-MP Saleh Kamba.
JOY KABATSI
The Sembabule veteran politician deputizes Vincent Sempijja at MAAIF as Minister in charge of livestock. Kabatsi is wealthy from home and is never fascinated by material things at MAAIF were kickback temptations are very rampant. She marries wealthy city lawyer Peter Kabatsi who is also former DPP and Solicitor General. Joy Kabatsi is so rich she can run her own Ministry docket using personal money, fuel and vehicle. This exactly is what she did for most of the years she headed the Legal Department at State House.
BETI KAMYA
The Spencer Turyomwe widow is the Minister for Kampala and her strong point lies in being very knowledgeable and eloquent. Kamya is also objective, fearless, exposed and well-travelled. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.
