ANITE'S SACK SECRET OUT! M7 Reveals Why 'Koboko Gateway' Lost Her Cabinet Seat to Mukalazi

President Yoweri Museveni has, for the first time, publicly hinted at why former State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite was dropped from Cabinet, blaming poor coordination that left licensed investors stranded without basic infrastructure.

While commissioning the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Tinned Beef and Beans Factory in Gomba District, the President expressed frustration over government agencies approving investments without ensuring that electricity, water and roads were in place to support the projects.

Without mentioning Anite by name, Museveni pointed to the Gomba factory as a classic example of how investors were being frustrated despite receiving government approval.

“Once the Uganda Investment Authority licenses a factory, the government should already know where it is going to operate and ensure all the necessary infrastructure is available,” Museveni said.

The President revealed that the factory’s operations had stalled simply because there was no electricity, despite the project having secured all the necessary investment approvals.

The President attributed such challenges to poor coordination among government institutions, saying this informed his decision to appoint new leaders in the investment sector, including State Minister for Investment Hajjat Aminah Mukalazi, to improve service delivery and eliminate bottlenecks affecting investors.

The remarks appeared to explain why Museveni reshuffled the investment docket and replaced Anite.

“I have now brought in new leaders to ensure better coordination and remove these bottlenecks,” Museveni said, expressing confidence that the new team would improve service delivery to investors.

Mukalazi now serves as State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development in charge of Privatisation and Investment.

Anite, who had served in the investment portfolio, was dropped entirely from Cabinet during the latest reshuffle.

Her exit followed years of public disagreements with Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) Director General Robert Mukiza over the management of investments and the agency’s operations. The two frequently clashed publicly, exposing deep divisions within the country’s investment promotion machinery.

Museveni’s latest remarks suggest he expects the new leadership to work more closely with agencies responsible for electricity, transport and water so that investors are not left battling avoidable government bottlenecks.

The President also used the occasion to remind ministers that they are “pastors” of their respective sectors and must actively guide, supervise and solve problems affecting investments instead of leaving investors to struggle alone.

He praised businessman Francis Lagwa for partnering with the National Enterprise Corporation to establish the modern beef processing plant, describing it as a major boost to Uganda’s industrialisation drive.

The NEC-Lagwa factory will process beef for both local consumption and export markets and has the capacity to slaughter up to 150 head of cattle daily. It will also produce canned beef and beans for domestic and international markets.

Museveni pledged government support to ensure the factory has a steady supply of cattle, saying value addition remains central to Uganda’s ambition of growing the economy to US$500 billion.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka disclosed that the Ministry of Defence is considering buying canned beef from the factory to feed UPDF soldiers, while NEC Managing Director Lt. Gen. James Mugira appealed to government to prioritise locally processed products when procuring the military’s estimated two million annual beef rations.