Amongi Challenges Regional Balance in Museveni's PS Appointments

Former Minister Betty Amongi has expressed concern over the regional balance in President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's latest nominations of Permanent Secretaries. She argues that the distribution raises concerns about fairness, inclusion, and equal opportunities in Uganda's public service. Amongi's concerns follow President Museveni's announcement on Sunday, November 8, 2026, naming 12 nominees for Permanent Secretary positions across various government institutions.

According to Amongi, a review of the proposed appointments suggests that Western Uganda received the largest share, followed by Central and Eastern Uganda, while the greater Northern region appears to have secured only one or two positions. She particularly singled out Lango Sub-region, which she says has a population of more than 2.5 million people but has not secured representation in the latest Permanent Secretary nominations.

The former minister further observed that Lango has gone close to a decade without having a Permanent Secretary serving in government, describing the situation as part of a broader and longstanding pattern of limited representation across different arms and institutions of the state. She cited concerns about representation in Cabinet, the Judiciary, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the security forces, and other public institutions.

Amongi acknowledged that competence and professional qualifications must remain central considerations in public appointments but argued that merit should not be used as a reason to disregard regional inclusion. She pointed to President Museveni's longstanding position that appointments should be based on substance rather than region or tribe, saying that while professional competence is important, it should coexist with the constitutional principles of fairness and equal opportunity.

The former minister also invoked the 1995 Constitution, arguing that its founding principles provide an important framework for addressing concerns about marginalisation and unequal representation. She recalled the constitutional-making process, which involved consultations with Ugandans through the Constitutional Commission chaired by Justice Benjamin Odoki.

Amongi questioned why, despite repeated discussions about regional inequalities and historical disadvantages, appointment patterns continue to generate concerns among communities in Northern Uganda. She raised questions about the relationship between Northern Uganda's political support for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the region's continued concerns about access to senior government positions.

The former minister maintained that the broader issue should be addressed through fairness, recognition, and equal opportunities. She argued that competence and regional fairness should not be treated as competing interests, insisting that a country can identify the best-qualified individuals while ensuring that no particular region or community is persistently overlooked.

Key points

• Amongi cites concerns about representation in Cabinet, the Judiciary, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the security forces, and other public institutions.
• The former minister invokes the 1995 Constitution, arguing that its founding principles provide an important framework for addressing concerns about marginalisation and unequal representation.
• Amongi questions why communities that have increasingly embraced the ruling party should continue to express concerns about their representation in important government institutions.