President Yoweri Museveni has spoken out on the placement of his close family members into top public offices.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Museveni defended the appointment of his family members to high public offices, saying it’s not nepotism.
“That’s not nepotism. The few members of my family that are involved, are involved on their own merit. My wife went against my advice, stood for election and had the biggest majority in the whole country – because the population appreciate(s) what I have done,” he responded.
He also denied preparing his wife, Janet Museveni or his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to succeed him.
“Why should I prepare them? The people of Uganda will choose the one they want.”
The interview was carried out in Qatar where he had gone for bilateral talks with the Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
He is reported to have personally picked the list of government officials that accompanied him to a three-day State visit. Among those in the delegation included the First Lady, who is also Minister of Education and Sports and in-law Sam Kutesa, who is Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister. Kutesa is the father of Maj Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s wife Charlotte Kainerugaba.
Maj Gen Muhoozi is the senior presidential advisor to his father, Museveni, while his uncle, Gen Salim Saleh, is the senior presidential advisor on security.