ENTEBBE. President Yoweri Museveni has yet to make a final decision on the fate of four ministerial nominees who missed Monday’s Cabinet swearing-in ceremony over unresolved citizenship questions, Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye has revealed.
Addressing guests at the inauguration ceremony at State House Entebbe on June 8,2026 , Nakyobe disclosed that the matter remains under active consideration by the President following consultations involving senior government legal officials over the weekend.
“Seventy-eight newly appointed Cabinet members are present and ready to take oath. One is indisposed,” Nakyobe said, in apparent reference to First Lady and Education Minister Janet Museveni, who was recently reported to have been unwell.
She then addressed the absence of the four nominees whose citizenship status has been under scrutiny.
“The four others, as guided by the President, were engaged over the weekend by myself and the Solicitor General,” Nakyobe said.
“A brief has been submitted for further guidance from the President.”
Her remarks provide the clearest official confirmation yet that the absence of the four ministers was linked to ongoing consultations within government.
The four affected nominees are Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Adonia Ayebare, State Minister-designate for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs) Calvin Echodu, State Minister-designate for Microfinance Sharsti Kutesa Musherure and State Minister-designate for Internal Affairs Dr. Lawrence Muganga.
Newzzone Publications Ltd exclusively reported on Sunday that the four had not received invitations to Monday’s inauguration ceremony amid legal concerns surrounding their citizenship status and the completion of renunciation processes involving foreign citizenships.
The issue emerged during Parliament’s vetting exercise after Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa revealed that the Appointments Committee had identified four nominees with dual or multiple citizenship concerns following verification by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
While Parliament approved most of the affected nominees after reviewing documentation relating to citizenship renunciation, questions remained over whether the legal process had been fully completed before they could assume ministerial office.
Echodu, Ayebare and Musherure have dual citizenship of United States and Uganda while Muganga had triple citizenship of Rwanda, Canada and Uganda.
Nakyobe’s revelation that she and the Solicitor General personally engaged the four nominees over the weekend suggests the matter has now moved to the highest levels of government for final determination.
President Museveni is expected to study the legal brief submitted by officials before deciding whether the four nominees can be sworn in immediately or whether additional steps are required before they assume office.