President Yoweri Museveni’s younger brother, Godfrey Aine Kaguta, has defended the appointment of members of the First Family to public positions, dismissing claims that Uganda has been turned into a “family affair.”
Kaguta, who is the Member of Parliament for Mawogola North County, said relatives of the President should not be denied opportunities to serve the country simply because of their relationship with him.
The legislator argued that being related to the Head of State should not automatically disqualify someone from holding a government position if they have the required qualifications and experience.
His remarks come after former Kira Municipality MP and opposition politician Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda accused President Museveni of promoting nepotism by appointing members of his family to influential positions.
Ssemujju recently criticized the appointment of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Salim Saleh as the coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, and First Lady Janet Museveni as Minister of Education and Sports.
According to Ssemujju, such appointments show that Uganda has moved away from equal opportunities and has become dominated by members of one family.
“When a man appoints his son the head of the military, puts his brother in charge of wealth distribution, puts his son-in-law in charge of the country’s exports and above all, appoints his sick wife minister for education, you do not need a PhD holder in history to tell you that you have been turned into slaves,” Ssemujju said.
Responding to the accusations, Kaguta said critics have ignored the sacrifices made by some members of Museveni’s family before they were given government responsibilities.
He questioned why no one raised concerns when members of the Kaguta family were participating in the armed struggle that eventually brought the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to power.
“Why is it that nobody questioned when Mzee Amos Kaguta’s sons were in the bush fighting for this nation’s freedom?” Kaguta asked.
He defended Gen Salim Saleh’s contribution during the National Resistance Army (NRA) bush war, saying his service to the country started long before he occupied government offices.
Kaguta also highlighted Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s military career, saying he served Uganda in different missions before becoming Chief of Defence Forces.
“Nobody cared when Gen Salim Saleh had bullets go through his body while liberating this country. Nobody questioned when Gen Muhoozi served his nation in Garamba, Somalia and other places,” he said.
The Mawogola North legislator argued that it would be unfair to ignore the contribution of individuals simply because they are related to the President.
He asked whether family members should permanently lose their right to serve the country because of their connection to the Head of State.
“My fellow Ugandans, why should being the President’s wife, brother, son or relative disqualify a Ugandan from serving their own nation?” Kaguta asked.
He described criticism against family members serving in government as a form of double standards, saying people should judge individuals based on their ability and performance.
“Should we say that their sacrifice was never a problem then but now that reward is involved offence takes precedence?” he questioned.
Kaguta said President Museveni has over the years appointed many Ugandans who are not related to him and argued that his ability to identify talent should also apply when considering his own relatives.
“President Museveni has a proven record of identifying, nurturing talent and bringing out the best in people,” he said.
The legislator said he believes the same leadership qualities that enabled Museveni to recognize capable Ugandans outside his family should also apply when evaluating those close to him.
“I’m curious if the eye that has spotted ability in countless Ugandans with no relation to him at all and elevated them to serve with him is the same eye that would go blind or biased the moment it looked at those close to it,” Kaguta stated.
The debate over family members holding influential positions has continued to attract public attention, with supporters and critics of the government expressing different views.
While government supporters argue that relatives of leaders should not be punished for their family connections, critics maintain that powerful positions should be distributed based on broader principles of fairness and transparency.
Ssemujju, who has been living outside Uganda after leaving the country earlier this year, has continued criticizing the government over issues including opposition arrests, detention of political figures and governance concerns.
The latest exchange between Kaguta and Ssemujju has renewed discussions about leadership, public appointments and the role of family members in government.
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