President Yoweri Museveni has praised his new Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi as “a clean, trustworthy and consistent man”.

Museveni earlier on Tuesday named Sekandi as Vice President as he started unveiling his new cabinet. Sekandi replaces Prof. Gilbert Bukenya who has been Vice President since 2003.

Amama Mbabazi John Patrick, new prime Minister of Uganda

According to a State House statement, Sekandi is the right person to asset the President as Vice president, especially in initiating polices and ideas, mobilize the people for development, supervise implementation of government programmes. Museveni said the VP will also help him in dealing with issues of foreign affairs, defence and Security.

Ssekandi who said he was greatly touched by the appointment promised “total positive commitment to government, loyalty to the President, NRM and all Ugandans”. The former Speaker of parliament promised to be intellectually honest and give the president his honest advice.

President Yoweri Museveni also named Security Minister and current NRM Secretary General Amama Mbabazi as the Prime Minister. The President said Mbabazi wll have to resign his post as Secretary General of the NRM, the second top most post in the ruling party. Mbabazi agreed accordingly.

Museveni defended Mbabazi’s appointment despite some protests from some NRM MPs, saying Mbabazi is one of the most “ideologically reliable cadres of the NRM, disciplined and with vast legal knowledge”.

“Mbabazi is loyal, never deviates from the ideologies of the NRM,” the President said according to the statement. Mbabazi thanked the President for the trust, and promised to contribute effective service delivery to the country.

Other members of the cabinet are expected to be named soon.

Ultimate Media