Controversy yesterday rocked Parliament over the impending race for Speakership of the 11th Parliament. The main battle for the position is between incumbent Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanya.
13 of the 16 Members of Parliament (MPs) hailing from Lango declared their support for Oulanya for speakership.
In support, Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa said Kadaga should respect what they agreed on in the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the ruling NRM party in 2016.
“I belong to one of the Whatsapp groups, we named it 317. I am the chair of the NRM caucus, and that position makes me a member of the NRM CEC. I attended CEC in 2016 when, we were handling the candidates who had contested that time for Speaker and the deputy.
What I posted was a reminder of CEC position of 2016. Where CEC convinced Hon. Jacob Oulanyah to step down for the Speaker,” said Nankabirwa.
In response to Nankabirwa, Kadaga said; “I don’t think CEC has a right to bind the future Parliament, before they are even elected. That is undemocratic. Stop talking about CEC here; we are talking about issues of this House here. Secondly, CEC last sat during the primaries, so stop issues of CEC here.”
Bugiri MP Asuman Basalirwa who declared to be Team Kadaga said that no one should use CEC to bulldoze the Speaker.
“Whether CEC wants who or who, the decision on who becomes the Speaker, will come from this House. It will not come from Kyankwanzi or State House. Madam Speaker, I want to put you on notice, regardless of the decision of CEC, you must be on the ballot paper,” said Basalirwa.
MP Jovah advised parliament not to discuss the speakership matters when the whole Uganda is watching. She said they should instead hold an in-house meeting where they can iron out issues without being at the glare of the cameras.