Former Aruu County MP Odonga Otto has challenged President Yoweri Museveni to consider appointing opposition leader Bobi Wine as Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, arguing that such a move could help promote national unity.
Otto made the remarks during an appearance on NBS Television on Thursday, August 13, where he called for a more inclusive approach to governance.
“The fact that you are the majority doesn't in any way mean you are right. We need to have a fairly inclusive government,” Otto said.
He then directly challenged Museveni to consider bringing Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, into government.
“I challenge President Museveni: why can’t he appoint Bobi Wine as Minister of Foreign Affairs? It will heal Ugandans,” Otto said.
Bobi Wine, the leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), has been one of Museveni’s most prominent political opponents.
He emerged as a major challenger to the long-serving president after entering elective politics and contested the 2021 presidential election.
His political movement has remained a significant force in Uganda’s opposition politics, although relations between the government and Wine’s camp have frequently been marked by confrontation.
Otto’s proposal therefore represents a significant departure from Uganda’s traditionally adversarial relationship between the ruling establishment and Wine’s opposition movement.
The former MP did not suggest that political differences between Museveni and Wine would disappear through an appointment. Instead, he framed the proposal as a possible step towards broadening participation in government and easing political divisions.
Otto also questioned the idea that numerical strength automatically translates into political correctness, insisting that majority rule should not exclude other voices from national affairs.
His comments come amid continued debate over political inclusion, opposition participation and the future of governance in Uganda.
Appointing Wine to a senior Cabinet position would be an extraordinary political development given his long-standing criticism of Museveni’s administration. It would also represent a dramatic shift from the political rivalry that has defined their relationship over the past several years.
For now, however, Otto’s proposal remains a political challenge rather than an announced government plan, with no indication from Museveni that he intends to appoint Wine to the Foreign Affairs docket.