Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda has criticised both the Executive and Parliament over the delayed swearing-in of several cabinet nominees linked to dual citizenship clearance issues, saying the development exposes weaknesses in Uganda’s vetting and approval processes.
Speaking while reacting to the postponed oath-taking on Monday, Ssemujju said three ministers who had been approved by Parliament were not sworn in, arguing that the situation reflects what he termed procedural confusion in appointments and clearance.
He named the affected appointees as Shartsi Musherure Kutesa, Calvin Echodu, and Adonia Ayebare, stating that their approval by Parliament was irregular given ongoing questions surrounding their citizenship status and eligibility documentation.
“Museveni and Parliament both embarrassed on dual citizenship ministerial nominees,” Ssemujju said.
“Three ministers; Shartis Musherure Kutesa, Calvin Echodu and Adonia Ayebare irregularly approved by Parliament not sworn in today.”
He further questioned the manner in which the Appointments Committee handled the matter, arguing that concerns raised during vetting were not properly resolved before approval.
According to him, members had flagged whether individuals whose citizenship processes were still ongoing should be confirmed for Cabinet positions.
“The issue in appointments committee was, ‘can you approve a person who had just commenced a process?’” he said, adding that the committee opted to proceed through a vote instead of resolving the legal uncertainty.
Ssemujju also criticised the final stage of the process, saying the Executive failed to ensure full due diligence before the swearing-in ceremony.
He argued that the resulting delay reflects broader governance gaps in the handling of senior appointments.
President Yoweri Museveni’s administration has not issued a detailed public response to the claims, but officials earlier indicated that the affected nominees were not sworn in due to pending verification of citizenship documentation and compliance with legal requirements.
The State House ceremony went ahead for other appointees, while those affected are expected to be sworn in after clearance from relevant authorities.