President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Hon. Juma Witonze Kisekka as the new Minister of State for Internal Affairs, filling the position that remained vacant following the failure of Dr Lawrence Muganga’s nomination to secure approval from Parliament’s Appointments Committee.
Witonze, a diplomat and politician, is the Chief Coordinator of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) in the Greater Mpigi region. He has also previously expressed interest in representing Uganda at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
His appointment comes after Parliament’s Appointments Committee declined to approve Dr Muganga’s nomination for the same position following concerns raised during the vetting process.
The committee reportedly raised questions regarding Muganga’s citizenship status after receiving a verification report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs indicating links to Ugandan, Canadian, and Rwandan citizenship.
Sources familiar with the matter said some nominees who faced similar concerns over dual citizenship presented documentation showing they had started formal processes to renounce foreign citizenship where required.
However, Muganga reportedly did not provide similar documentation during his appearance before the committee, leading to further scrutiny of his nomination.
The matter was subsequently referred back to President Museveni, who has now named Witonze as his replacement.
Witonze’s appointment adds another PLU official to the Cabinet and comes at a time when the Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to oversee key national responsibilities, including internal security, citizenship matters, immigration, and coordination of related government agencies.
The new minister is expected to assume responsibilities as the government continues efforts to strengthen service delivery and coordination within the internal affairs sector.