Hardly a month after President Yoweri Museveni appointed his wife; First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni to head the education docket, the opposition Democratic Party (DP) has tabled an application demanding for her immediate relocation to another ministry.
In his new cabinet lineup announced recently, Museveni moved Janet from the ministry in charge of Karamoja to head that of education. DP’s worries may be exacerbated by latest reports that the ministry of Education has rented a separate office in Nakasero along Kyadondo road away from the headquarters of the ministry located along Parliamentary avenue
The president also appointed John Chrizetom Muyingo, a reputed educationist as well as entrepreneur owning a chain of Seeta High Schools to be the minister in charge of higher education and Charles Bakkabulindi as Janet’s junior minister in charge of the sports docket.
While many Ugandans from across the political spectrum welcomed Janet’s new assignment, the leadership of DP is starting to nurse misgivings regarding her new ministerial role.
Addressing the party’s weekly press conference on Tuesday, the chief whip of DP, Joseph Ssewungu claimed how Janet would not be easily accessed by teachers and other stakeholders.
He cited the heavy security detail that was formed around Janet during the function at which her predecessor, Maj Jessica Alupo handed over office to the First Lady .
“All roads leading to her new office were blocked by the military. This was unnecessary. There have been ministers of education before her and no one has ever received let alone suffered threats to her life. Why then did the military have to deploy such heavily during the handover of office to the First Lady?” Ssewungu asked.
Pointing out that education is one of such critical ministries that must easily be accessed by teachers, learners, parents and other stakeholders; Ssewungu argues that the level of military deployment exhibited during the handover of office to the First Lady can only mean that she won’t be accessed easily.
“Let the president transfer her to another ministry. We cannot afford to have a minister of education who cannot be accessed easily,” Ssewungu asserted.
