afrol News, 10 March - Uganda’s leader, Yoweri Museveni, has defended the appointment of his wife into cabinet saying no other ministers were willing to work in the country’s troubled Karamoja region.

President Museveni reshuffled cabinet mid February, creating a junior post in the country’s cabinet for his wife Janet, a move that the opposition parties has bitterly criticised saying it was a clear nepotisms.

Mr Museveni has however denied nepotism charges stating that he had been against his wife going into politics. He said supporters had lobbied for the first lady to stand as Member of Parliament for the south-western seat of Ruhama in 2006.

"I said: 'No. I don't want my wife to be involved'. So I had to relent and the lady went and stood and she got the biggest majority in the whole country," Mr Museveni said.

The February cabinet reshuffle which has sacked the Finance Minister, Ezra Suruma, has created a position for Mr Museveni's brother, Caleb Akandwanaho, who will become senior presidential adviser on defense.

The opposition has also criticised the new posts saying it was a clear indication that the president was securing his position in power by bringing close relatives into government controls. Mr Museveni's son, Lieutenant Colonel Muhoozi Kaneirugaba, is also commander of the country’s Special Forces.

Once revered as Africa's most progressive leader, Mr Museveni turned the tables in 2006 when he pushed for a constitutional change to allow him stand for a third term.

Brought to power in the 1986 military coup, Mr Museveni has since been at the helm, having won the 1996 multiparty elections and a second term in 2001, before the current constitutional change re-election.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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