Here are The 10 Forgotten Men and Women Tipped to Return to Cabinet

Ugandan politics has always been a theatre of resilience, loyalty, and reinvention. President Yoweri Museveni, the master of balancing veterans with fresh faces, now faces a familiar dilemma: how to reward those who have stood by him through storms, yet were once cast aside.

As the dust settles on the 2026 elections, whispers in corridors of power suggest that ten “forgotten” men and women—stalwarts, mobilizers, and technocrats—are poised for a dramatic return to cabinet.

Their stories are not just about personal comebacks; they are about the NRM’s survival instinct and Museveni’s unyielding grip on the levers of state.

Few figures embody loyalty to Museveni like Amelia Kyambadde. Once his Principal Private Secretary, she rose to become Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, steering Uganda’s trade policy with a technocrat’s precision.

Though she lost her seat in 2021, her return to Parliament in 2026 rekindled her relevance. Kyambadde is not just a politician; she is a symbol of continuity, a reminder that Museveni rewards those who never truly leave his orbit.

Her comeback would be less about politics and more about trust—Museveni’s trust in a handmaiden who has never betrayed him.

Uganda’s first female Vice President, Specioza Wandira Kazibwe, is a name etched in history. A surgeon by training, a politician by destiny, she broke barriers in the 1990s and later served as a UN envoy.

In 2026, she reemerged as a force in Busoga, helping lead the NRM’s mobilisation that tipped the scales against NUP after the bruising 2021 defeat. Kazibwe’s return would be more than symbolic—it would be a statement.

Museveni could use her as a reminder that the NRM still champions women’s empowerment, while rewarding her for delivering Busoga back into the fold.

Crispus Kiyonga is a man of many lives: physician, politician, diplomat. As Minister of Defence, he oversaw Uganda’s military establishment during turbulent years, later serving as Ambassador to China.

His return to Parliament in 2026 rekindled speculation about his redeployment. Kiyonga is not flashy, but he is dependable—a sage of security and diplomacy.

In a cabinet where loyalty and discretion matter more than charisma, Museveni may find in him a steady hand to manage sensitive portfolios.

Ephraim Kamuntu, economist and former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, is the quintessential technocrat.

His career has spanned water, environment, and constitutional affairs, always marked by a cerebral approach. After regaining his Sheema seat, Kamuntu’s return to cabinet seems almost inevitable.

Museveni values thinkers who can translate ideology into policy, and Kamuntu fits that mold. His comeback would signal a return to sober, policy-driven governance in ministries where precision matters.

Daudi Migereko’s political journey has been long and layered—Minister of Lands, Minister of Energy, and a stalwart of Busoga politics. In 2026, he joined Kazibwe in spearheading NRM’s mobilisation in Busoga, a region that had tilted dangerously toward NUP in 2021.

Their efforts paid off, restoring the party’s dominance. Migereko’s reward may well be a cabinet seat, not just for his past ministerial service but for his role in saving Museveni’s flank in Busoga.

His return would be a nod to regional balance and gratitude for loyalty under fire.

Sam Engola is not a man of headlines, but of trenches. As State Minister for Housing, he served quietly, yet his real strength lies in mobilisation in Lango.

In the party’s difficult years, Engola defended NRM at the grassroots, often at personal cost. His return to Parliament in 2026 is a testament to resilience.

Museveni prizes such loyalty, and Engola’s redeployment would be a reward for a soldier of the party who never abandoned the cause.

Barbara Nekesa Oundo represents the new generation of NRM leaders. Once State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, later Ambassador to South Africa, she now serves as the NRM National Treasurer—a role that places her at the heart of the party’s financial machinery.

Her influence in Busia and her youthful energy make her a compelling candidate for cabinet. Museveni may use her return to showcase generational transition, while rewarding her for keeping the party’s coffers and campaigns alive.

Henry Tumukunde’s story is one of rebellion and reconciliation. Once Museveni’s trusted general, later a presidential challenger in 2021, Tumukunde seemed destined for exile from the NRM.

Yet politics is about survival, and in 2026 he reconciled with the party. His military expertise and political resilience make him a candidate for redeployment in security or intelligence.

Museveni may use his return to demonstrate magnanimity—rewarding a prodigal son who found his way back home.

Mike Mukula is a man of charisma and controversy. A businessman, pilot, and former State Minister for Health, he has long been the NRM’s trailblazer in Eastern Uganda.

Though he lost his CEC position, his mobilisation role in Teso remains unmatched. Museveni may console him with a cabinet seat, recognizing that Mukula’s influence in the east is too valuable to waste.

His return would be both consolation and strategy—a way to keep Eastern Uganda firmly in the NRM column.

Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi, former State Minister for Tourism and immediate past NRM Vice Chairperson for Buganda, is a man of deals and influence.

In 2026, he stepped aside in the CEC race amid rumors of a presidential arrangement, allowing Kasolo to sail through. His loyalty and Buganda clout make him a likely candidate for redeployment.

Museveni may use his return to balance Buganda politics, rewarding a loyalist who sacrificed ambition for the party’s unity.

These ten figures are not just individuals; they are symbols of the NRM’s resilience. They represent loyalty rewarded, mobilisation recognized, and history honored.

Museveni’s cabinet has always been a mosaic of veterans and newcomers, a delicate balance of regional interests and personal loyalty.

By bringing back these “forgotten” men and women, Museveni would be sending a message: that in the NRM, no loyalty is ever wasted, no service ever forgotten.

Their return would also serve a strategic purpose. In regions where NUP threatened dominance, figures like Kazibwe and Migereko delivered salvation.

In Buganda, Kiwanda sacrificed ambition for unity. In Eastern Uganda, Mukula remains a mobilization powerhouse. In Lango, Engola embodies grassroots loyalty.

And in the corridors of policy, Kyambadde, Kamuntu, and Kiyonga offer technocratic and diplomatic depth. Together, they form a coalition of resilience—a cabinet of survivors.