Kisoro Leaders Urge President Museveni to Appoint Local Successor for Late Minister Sarah Mateke

Summary:

• Sarah Mateke, the only female minister from the Kigezi Sub-region in the 11^th Parliament, passed away from a heart attack on Saturday morning in Kampala.

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KISORO: Leaders in Kisoro District have appealed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to replace the late State Minister of Defense in charge of Veteran Affairs, Sarah Mateke, with someone from Kisoro to maintain the district’s representation in the Cabinet.

Sarah Mateke, the only female minister from the Kigezi Sub-region in the 11^th Parliament, passed away from a heart attack on Saturday morning in Kampala. Her sudden death has cast a somber mood across the district, affecting parliamentarians, political and local leaders, and even prompting the business community in Kisoro town to halt their activities.

The Southern Division District Councillor James Agaba, emphasized that Sarah Mateke was the first female minister from Kisoro District and that her impact was widely felt. He requested President Museveni to consider reassigning the ministerial post to Kisoro District.

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Morris Hakizimana, the Kisoro District Finance Secretary and Youth Representative to the National Youth Council, also urged President Museveni to empower women by appointing a female minister from Kisoro District to fill the vacant position.

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The Kisoro District Speaker, Amos Hakizimana, echoed the sentiment, asking President Museveni to retain the ministerial post for Kisoro to ensure the district’s continued representation in the Cabinet.

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Abel Bizimana, the Kisoro District LC5 Chairman, called on President Museveni to use his wisdom to appoint someone from Kisoro District to continue their Cabinet representation. Bizimana noted that, although Minister Sarah Mateke had been representing Kisoro District in Parliament, her demise has created a void in the Cabinet. He further urged the President to appoint someone from Kisoro as a minister to maintain gender representation.

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Ramathan Ndikuyezi, the Kisoro District National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Vice Chairperson, expressed concern that without a ministerial post, the district could lose significant government benefits. He appealed to President Museveni to reassign the Cabinet position to Kisoro, emphasizing the late minister’s role as a key party mobilizer.

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Dr. Philemon Mateke, the father of the late Sarah Mateke, stated that the decision to appoint anyone to the ministry rests solely with President Museveni. He emphasized that the President has the authority to appoint individuals based on their capacity to work, regardless of whether they are from Kisoro District or elsewhere.

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