State House Clears Air on Reports That Museveni Has Ordered Investigation Into Citizenship Status of Four Newly Appointed Ministers

Uganda’s State House has cleared the air on reports that President Yoweri Museveni has directed immigration authorities to urgently verify the citizenship status of four recently appointed ministers amid allegations that they may possess citizenship of countries other than Uganda.

A suspicious looking letter circulating online had claimed that the president had instructed the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control to investigate the status of Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, Calvin Echodu, Dr Lawrence Muganga and businessman Sanjay Tana following intelligence reports that raised concerns about their nationality.

Adonia Ayebare was recently appointed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, leaving his role as Uganda’s permanent representative to the UNUN to take over from Jeje Odongo who was dropped from cabinet. (Read interesting facts about Adonia Ayebare Here).

Sanyay Tana has been appointed the minister of trade, industry and cooperatives (MTIC), replacing Francis Mwebesa who was dropped from cabinet and consoled with a presidential advisor job, as reported Here.

Echodu, the NRM vice chairperson for eastern Uganda, was appointed junior foreign affairs minister.

Dr Lawrence Muganga was appointed as junior internal affairs minister, replacing Gen David Muhoozi who was dropped from cabinet.

Dr Muganga was a few years arrested for reportedly spying on Uganda for Rwanda’s government. (See Details Here and There).

In the suspicious letter dated May 28, 2026, addressed to the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Control, Museveni had allegedly called for an immediate review of the four officials’ citizenship records to establish whether they qualify to hold ministerial positions under Ugandan law.

But State House, through deputy presidential press secretary Faruk Kirunda, the letter is fake and has not been authored by President Museveni.

You can see the list of other new faces in Museveni’s new cabinet, as well as the list of all the ministers appointed to serve from 2026 to 2031 Here and There.

Meanwhile, State House has confirmed new changes to the Museveni cabinet list, affecting two ministers, as reported Here.

You can see the lists with names of ministers who were dropped from Museveni cabinet and the former ministers who bounced back to cabinet Here and There.

The list with names of junior ministers who were promoted to full cabinet ministers is Here.

Read about NRM CEC members and former ministers’ relatives who were given minister jobs Here and There.

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