• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

The Iteso Lens on Cabinet

watchdog by watchdog
5 years ago
in News
6 1
Atesot in the centre with two Karimojong beauties during a cultural festival

Atesot in the centre with two Karimojong beauties during a cultural festival

ShareTweetSendShare

First, important context. Media reports are abound in which, His Excellency President Yoweri Kagutta Museveni, is quoted as having said something to the effect that those who are applying an ethnic analysis on his political appointments are myopic individuals with no sense of direction

Nevertheless, cultural anthropologists find it interesting that a nation whose population censuses categorise its citizens into ethnic groupings shouldn’t apply an ethnic lens on debates that are related to national public governance.

Myopic as it may be to Mr. Museveni, some, in fact, point out that any president of Uganda that would allocate Cabinet positions without taking into consideration our ethnic composition as a nation, would have a hard time being re-elected in a free and a fair election of one man one vote.

So, in order to get elected president in the first place, candidates must demonstrate their ethnic biases, some assert.  Many, for example, did interpret Mr. Museveni’s cabinet reshuffle in December of 2019 to have been driven, to a significant degree, by the 2021 presidential and parliamentary elections, among other factors.

Using Mr. Museveni’s 14th December 2019 Cabinet, hence forth to be referred to as “Cabinet”, let us put to test the assertion that first nations of Uganda are a major factor that cannot be rubbished away by a president.

A cursory look at Cabinet, may give an impression that Mr. Museveni’s allocation of Cabinet positions is based on sound and justifiable grounds that a shrewd politician cannot afford to miss. His cabinet appointments, seemingly, accommodate the reality of the ethnic composition of the citizens of Uganda.

Looking closely at Cabinet, indeed, analysts may surmise, that its composition does reveal, somewhat, Mr. Museveni’s strategy for winning the 2021 election and for keeping the majority of Ugandan citizens generally mollified and pacified.

Fact is, according to the most recent population census, conducted in 2014, in terms of numeric strength, the big five first nations of Uganda, and which command 49 percent of the population of Ugandan citizens, are the:

  • Baganda (16.5 percent)
  • Banyankole (9.6 percent)
  • Basoga (8.8 percent)
  • Bakiga (7.1 percent)
  • Iteso (7.0 percent)

It is logical, therefore, for a president of Uganda, in making political appointments, such as filling Cabinet positions, to ensure that the big five first nations are mollified and pacified.

On that reasoning alone, the choices that Mr. Museveni made in filling the top echelon of his Cabinet – Vice President, Prime Minister, First Deputy Prime Minister and Second Deputy Prime Minister- with men from four of the big five, makes political survival sense.

However, the exclusion of one of the big five, the Iteso, from the top echelon does raise questions, especially so, since, potentially the position of 1st Deputy Prime Minister could have been allocated to one from the Iteso; a woman even.

Questioning may have been allayed through Mr. Museveni’s selection of full ministers. However, the majority of full ministers, over 50 percent, are from the two largest first nations; meanwhile, only four percent are from the Iteso. The composition of state ministers, as well, follows a similar pattern, with the Iteso allocated only nine percent.

As part of his Cabinet, Mr. Museveni, has five Senior Presidential Advisors and a Principal Private Secretary. Consistent with the pattern of ministerial appointments, the majority (60 percent) of advisors are from the Baganda and the Basoga. None are from the Iteso. The president’s Principal Private Secretary is not from among the big five.

The explanations of why so for the Iteso are for another blog post.

Credit: nowaraga.com


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
Share1Tweet1SendShare

Related Posts

Museveni wants to secure and protect the telecom infrastructure
Op-Ed

How Opposition Instability Could Pave the Way for Museveni’s Victory in Uganda’s 2026 Elections

13th July 2025 at 11:18
News

President Museveni lauds Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo for upholding truth and transforming the Judiciary 

12th July 2025 at 23:33
Beti Kamya
News

IGG calls for public ‘war’ on corruption after year of intense probes

12th July 2025 at 13:08
Next Post

Latif Sebagala abandons Kampala Lord Mayor race, returns to his Kawempe North

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1131 shares
    Share 452 Tweet 283
  • Silent Billionaire Bosco Muwonge Buys Mukwano Arcade at UGX 250 Billion Cash Down

    53 shares
    Share 21 Tweet 13
  • Who is Bosco Muwonge, Uganda’s elusive real estate billionaire?

    39 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

    2290 shares
    Share 916 Tweet 573
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    50 shares
    Share 20 Tweet 13
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Museveni wants to secure and protect the telecom infrastructure

How Opposition Instability Could Pave the Way for Museveni’s Victory in Uganda’s 2026 Elections

13th July 2025 at 11:18
Mashable is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company For more queries and news contact us on this Email: info@mashablepartners.com

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is the undisputed king of Kampala

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0
Museveni wants to secure and protect the telecom infrastructure

How Opposition Instability Could Pave the Way for Museveni’s Victory in Uganda’s 2026 Elections

13th July 2025 at 11:18

President Museveni lauds Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo for upholding truth and transforming the Judiciary 

12th July 2025 at 23:33

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda