Uganda gets “surprise” new finance, energy ministers

KAMPALA (Reuters) – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced a new cabinet, making what analysts said were surprise choices for the finance and energy portfolios ahead of expected oil production next year.

 

Museveni, in power for 25 years and fresh from an overwhelming but disputed election victory in February, revealed a mixture of new and experienced faces in a cabinet list sent to the media.

Maria Kiwanuka, a well-known entrepreneur who owns a radio station and has never been a minister or member of parliament, was named finance minister, while a former head of the state-run electricity utility, Irene Muloni, was given responsibility for the energy and mineral resources ministry.

Uganda discovered commercial quantities of hydrocarbons in the Lake Albert rift basin along its western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2006.

Exploration firms estimate reserves of up to 2.5 billion barrels, though the government says there could be more.

Political analyst Nicholas Ssengoba told Reuters that both appointments were wise decisions but said the effectiveness of the ministers would depend on how much freedom they were given to make their own decisions.

“Kiwanuka comes with no baggage. But she is a clean swimmer jumping into a dirty pool because the whole financial system in Uganda has

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)

Szóljon hozzá ehhez a cikkhez