In his capacity as the kingmaker in President Yoweri Museveni’s government, Gen. Salim Saleh is interested in Museveni’s appointment of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party member Hon. Nathan Nandala Mafabi as the next minister of finance.
At the moment, Saleh is involved in a series of talks aimed at persuading Nandala to accept the top cabinet job. If Nandala concedes, he will replace the long-serving minister of finance, Matia Kasaija from Bunyoro.
Kasaija is currently at the centre of the iron sheets saga. He is among the many ministers that took possession of white iron sheets that were meant to be distributed to the poor people of Karamoja.
Nandala is a trained accountant. He once worked with the World Bank, a key organisation in influencing the choices of ministers of finance in Uganda. Saleh is not new in persuading opposition politicians to the NRM.
He and his nephew, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba convinced the Democratic Party (DP) leader, Norbert Mao into cooperating with NRM and President Museveni.
Mao has since been appointed Minister of Justice and constitutional affairs.