Musasizi Pays Tribute to Hon Kasaija as he Officially Takesover Finance Ministry

Hon Minister Musasizi receives office from Hon Matia Kasaija/ Courtsey Photo

By Wilfred Arinda Nshekantebirwe

Kampala | June 12, 2026

The transition at the helm of Uganda’s economic management took a formal step forward on Friday, as newly sworn-in Finance Minister Henry Musasizi was officially handed office by his predecessor, Hon. Matia Kasaija, in a ceremony marking the end of one era and the beginning of another at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

Taking to his X handle shortly after the handover, Musasizi described the moment as a privilege, paying tribute to the legacy left behind by Kasaija, who had led the Ministry for over a decade before his replacement was announced as part of President Museveni’s newly constituted Cabinet.

“Honourable Matia Kasaija leaves behind a legacy of steady leadership and institutional strength,” Musasizi wrote, acknowledging the depth of experience his predecessor brought to one of government’s most demanding portfolios.

A Tribute to the Technical Team

In his remarks, the new Minister was quick to highlight the often-understated role played by the Ministry’s technical wing, particularly the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury and the team working under that office. Musasizi noted that Ministers rely heavily on this technical backbone, and that without their expertise, the work of running the Ministry “would be far more difficult.”

He credited the strong working relationship built over time between political leadership and the technical team as central to the Ministry’s ability to deliver on its mandate to the people of Uganda, a relationship he pledged to continue nurturing.

Kasaija’s Humility Singled Out

Perhaps the most personal part of Musasizi’s tribute was reserved for what he described as Kasaija’s “rare sincerity.” The incoming Minister recounted how his predecessor would openly acknowledge in Parliament when a brief bearing his signature had in fact been prepared by a technical officer, going as far as inviting that officer to present the work directly to MPs.

“That kind of humility and respect for technical expertise is what has kept this Ministry strong,” Musasizi said, framing it as a standard he intends to uphold.

The handover comes at a critical juncture for the Ministry, with the new Minister now tasked with steering the formulation of the 2026/27 national budget amid ongoing economic priorities, including domestic revenue mobilisation, public debt sustainability, and the country’s broader ambitions toward upper middle-income status.

Kasaija’s departure marks the end of a long chapter at the Ministry, during which he became known as one of government’s most experienced and institutionally grounded figures.

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