TAKEAWAYS

• Veteran ministers including Matia Kasaija, Gen. Moses Ali and Jeje Odongo missed the new Cabinet.
• Some former ministers have been redeployed as Senior Presidential Advisors or to diplomatic roles.
• Museveni retained continuity in some areas while making significant omissions and ministry changes.

President Yoweri Museveni last night unveiled the Cabinet set to serve during the 2026–2031 term, retaining key allies and introducing fresh appointments. But while promotions and ministry swaps grabbed headlines, another story quietly emerged — the list of seasoned politicians and ministers who did not make it back into Cabinet.

Among the biggest absentees is Matia Kasaija, who has served as Minister of Finance since 2015 and became one of government’s longest-serving economic managers. His omission marks a major transition in the country’s financial leadership, with Henry Musasizi now taking over the docket from being a state minister.

Another notable absence is Gen. Moses Ali, who had served as Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament. For years, Moses Ali remained a constant fixture in Museveni’s governments, making his exit one of the most talked-about developments in the new line-up.

Foreign Affairs also saw a major departure.

Gen. Jeje Odongo, who headed the ministry in the previous Cabinet, does not feature in the new team after being replaced by Ambassador Adonia Ayebare.

Several other ministers who held Cabinet positions in the previous administration are also missing.

Former Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa, Trade Minister Francis Mwebesa, Water and Environment Minister Sam Cheptoris, Gender Minister Betty Amongi and Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi all failed to return to Cabinet. Former Government Chief Whip Hamson Obua and former minister Evelyn Anite are also absent from the ministerial list.

Okello Oryem, who served in Foreign Affairs, and Gen. David Muhoozi, formerly State Minister for Internal Affairs, are equally among the notable names left out.

However, not every omission signals political retirement.

Ruth Nankabirwa, Francis Mwebesa, Hamson Obua and Evelyn Anite have instead resurfaced among Museveni’s newly announced Senior Presidential Advisors. Meanwhile, Dr. Kenneth Omona has been transferred to the diplomatic service as ambassador-designate.

Museveni’s new Cabinet therefore tells two stories at once — one of continuity and promotion, and another of experienced political figures making way for a new government configuration.