President Yoweri Museveni’s outgoing Cabinet has come under fresh scrutiny after political analyst Rogers Barigayomwe said its composition was largely driven by mobilisation politics rather than technocratic expertise.
Speaking on NBS Television on Thursday night, Barigayomwe said the President deliberately structured his ministerial team to strengthen political support networks across the country, especially in response to what he described as growing political pressure.
His remarks followed a farewell luncheon held by President Yoweri Museveni for his ministers at State House, Entebbe, a symbolic event marking the winding down of the current Cabinet ahead of a planned reshuffle after the swearing-in of the new administration.
“I credit President Museveni for managing the politics of Uganda. He knew he needed a Cabinet that would do more mobilisation because he saw the threat he was under,” Barigayomwe said.
He argued that the structure of the outgoing Cabinet reflected a broader political calculation aimed at maintaining influence at the grassroots level, rather than prioritising purely technical governance roles.
Barigayomwe drew a contrast between the current arrangement and earlier Cabinets, saying past administrations had leaned more towards elite and technocratic leadership styles.
“The other prime ministers had a level of elitism,” he said, suggesting that governance approaches have evolved over time in favour of more politically active leadership.
He also commented on Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, describing her leadership style as more engaged with citizens compared to her predecessors.
According to him, this shift has influenced how government programmes are delivered at the local level.
“Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja was willing to go on the ground,” he said.
Barigayomwe further noted that Uganda has a large pool of experienced technocrats, but said political considerations have increasingly shaped ministerial appointments in recent years.
“This country has many experienced technocrats but we’ve chosen political mobilisers to be ministers,” he said.