Price of coats of many colours: Four to wait longer for ministerial oaths

Ministers-designate [from left]: Calvin Echodu, Shartsi Musherure, Dr Lawrence Muganga and Adonia Ayebare.

President Museveni has called for a joint report from the Head of Public Service and the Solicitor General on the fate of four minister-nominees whose citizenship stretches beyond Uganda’s borders.

Ms Lucy Nakyobe, the head of Public Service, said yesterday that she and the Solicitor General met the affected ministers designate before drafting a brief, which was submitted to the President for guidance.

“Seventy-eight newly appointed Cabinet members are present and ready to take oath. One is indisposed. The four others, as guided by the President, were engaged over the weekend by myself and the Solicitor General. A brief has been submitted for further guidance from the President,” Ms Nakyobe said.

Multiple sources tcld Monitor last evening that the President’s decision on the report could take up to two weeks, or less, depending on responses from the countries where the minister nominees are renouncing citizenship, as well as other due diligence steps.

On May 29, 2026, the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent a letter to the Clerk to Parliament after conducting a verification of the appointed ministers upon request by the Legislature.

The letter, seen by Daily Monitor, revealed that three ministers designate hold citizenships of other countries in addition to Uganda.

These are Ambassador Adonia Ayebare (Foreign Affairs), Shartsi Musherure (State for Micro Finance), and Dr Lawrence Muganga (State for Internal Affairs).

The document says although Mr Calvin Echodu (State for Foreign Affairs International Affairs) holds an American passport, there was no information on his dual citizenship status.

The four ministers skipped the oath taking yesterday. According to the Internal Affairs Ministry letter, Ambassador Ayebare holds both Ugandan and American citizenship, obtained on April 23, 2025.

Ms Musherure is also an American citizen, granted on March 14, 2025, while Dr Muganga holds Ugandan, Rwandan, and Canadian citizenship, with the Ugandan one obtained on November 12, 2024.

Uganda’s immigration laws are clear; a citizen with dual nationality cannot hold the positions of president, vice president, prime minister, cabinet minister, or other ministerial posts.

The same red line applies to the Inspector General of Government, deputy Inspector General, technical heads of the armed forces, commanding officers of battalion strength, and several other key posts. The affected ministers were expected to renounce their foreign citizenships and submit cert