KAMPALA —Former Works Minister Engineer Monica Azuba Ntege on Wednesday December 18 handed over office to her deputy Gen Katumba Wamala as new cabinet minister for works and transport.
Asked by reporters why she was in such a hurry to handover, Ms Azuba said her departure from the ministerial job was in line with the leave request she had tendered with the appointing authority through the Prime Minister before the reshuffle came in.
Long before this, she said she had applied for leave for purely a personal issue.
“It was sanctioned by Prime Minister and I am supposed to leave tomorrow (Thursday December 19). I also had a chat with His Excellency the President and he has cleared my going,” the minister adding that it is important for good governance and smooth continuation that “I hand over immediately and not cancel my journey”.
She added that, “the issue of leave comes in only why I was handing over in a hurry and that its should not be related to her going”.
Ms Azuba who was given a standing ovation said that she has achieved key milestones including reviving the defunct Uganda Airlines after 20 years.
The National Carrier now boasts of four Bombardier planes, the first two came in April and the other two in October 2019.
She had previously served as a member of the board of Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).
Eng. Azuba is now a Senior Presidential Advisor.
Gen. Wamala thanked Azuba greatly for having diligently led the sector and delivering on her mandate.
Thank you for building a homely working environment and thank for the way you have handled us, he said pledging his total commitment.
“I am ready to work with the team to ensure that we deliver and take the sector to a higher level, he added.
Gen Katumba was elevated to the docket of Minister of Works and Transport, to replace Eng Azuba [now a senior presidential advisor].
Gen Katumba Wamala was the State Minister for Works
He is a former policeman and Chief of Defence Forces. Gen Wamala was an officer in the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) when the National Resistance Army (NRA) defeated the UNLA in 1986.
