FDC To Unveil New Shadow Cabinet As 4 Ministers Quit

Uganda’s largest Opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) will announce a new shadow cabinet in November 2018.

According to Betty Aol Ochan, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, four current shadow ministers have indicated to her that they are not willing to continue serving in the Shadow Cabinet.  .

She however declined to reveal the four shadow ministers, but indicated that two of them are from FDC party.

Parliament resumes from recess on 6^th November, 2018.

“My expectations were to unveil the Shadow Cabinet immediately after Independence, but because we are in recess, we have pushed that,” said Aol in part.

Aol said that she has been engaging Opposition parties with membership in Parliament as she tries to unite the divided Opposition forces.

Asked whether she would retain MPs allied to Gen. Muntu, Aol said that Parliament work is not informed by party differences but rather by the willingness to serve the voters.

Aol says that some of the MPs, who were part of her predecessor’s inner circle would not be comfortable working with her, but quickly added that these are the few.

She also denied talk that she is planning to merge shadow cabinet positions amid allegation that a number of Opposition MPs were not willing to occupy the Shadow Cabinet positions.

Since her appointment on 3^rd August 2018 as Leader of Opposition, a section of shadow cabinet ministers have abandoned sitting on the front-bench in Parliament. The current ministers were appointed by former Leader of Opposition (LOP) Winnie Kiiza who was dropped by FDC President Patrick Oboi Amuriat, and appointed Betty Aol Ochan as new LOP.

Some of the MPs who silently abandoned the front bench include the Shadow Attorney General Wilfred Niwagaba, Lubega Medard Sseggona, the Shadow Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Adeke Anne Ebaju, the Shadow Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Shadow Internal Affairs Minister Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, Shadow Minister for Trade and Industry Ibrahim Kasozi, Education and Sports Shadow Minister Mpuuga Mathias among others.