Ugandan President fires PM

Kampala: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has sacked Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, a State House statement said here on Friday.

The statement said Mbabazi has been replaced by Ruhakana Rugunda, minister of health, Xinhua reported.

"By virtue of the powers vested in the President of the Republic of Uganda by Article 108A(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, I have, with immediate effect, decided to appoint Ruhakana Rugunda as the new prime minister of Uganda," Museveni said according to the statement.

"I, therefore, hereby forward the names and the curriculum vitae of Dr Ruhakana Rugunda to you for the required parliamentary approval," Museveni said in a letter to Parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

There has been a reported rift between Museveni and Mbabazi over the latter`s intentions to contest in the 2016 Presidential Elections on the ruling National Resistance Movement party ticket.