HEARTBROKEN: “I Was Disappointed To Lose My Ministerial Job, Not With Museveni”-Reveals Former Minister

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Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem has revealed that he repeatedly appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to retain him in government, admitting that he was disappointed when he lost his ministerial position in the latest Cabinet changes.

In an interview with NTV Uganda, Oryem said he had consistently expressed his desire to remain part of Museveni’s government over the years, including during the President’s visits to his constituency and political campaigns.

“I was not disappointed with President Museveni. Sincerely, from the bottom of my heart, I was not disappointed. I was disappointed for having lost my ministerial job,” Oryem said, adding that such disappointment was natural.

Oryem was among the ministers who did not make it onto the Cabinet list unveiled by Museveni in May 2026, bringing an end to his long tenure in government, during which he served in the foreign affairs docket for more than two decades.

Reflecting on his relationship with the President, Oryem disclosed that he had repeatedly asked Museveni to allow him to continue serving in government, even if he was not elevated to the position of full Cabinet minister.

“Let me tell you a secret. Do you know how many times I have told President Museveni, year after year after year, to keep me in government?” he told NTV.

He explained that whenever Museveni visited his constituency, particularly during election campaigns, he would use the opportunity to express his wish to remain in government.

“I always tell President Museveni, ‘Mr President, I would like to continue being in your government,’” Oryem said.

He added that he had also made it clear that he was willing to continue serving as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs if there were challenges in appointing him to a higher ministerial position.

“I’m ready to continue being a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,” he said, explaining that he did not consider the distinction between a state minister and a full Cabinet minister particularly significant in practical terms.

Oryem argued that the two positions offered broadly similar privileges, including official vehicles and salaries, and questioned why the distinction should be a major concern.

His remarks offer a glimpse into the personal side of Cabinet appointments in Uganda, where ministerial positions are determined by the President and changes can bring lengthy careers in public service to an abrupt end.

Despite expressing disappointment over losing his position, Oryem maintained that he did not blame Museveni for the decision, distinguishing his personal reaction to losing the job from his relationship with the President.

His departure marks the end of a long chapter in Uganda’s diplomatic establishment, where he had become a familiar figure through successive Cabinet changes and the country’s evolving international engagements.

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