As the race for Parliament speakership hots up, a second meeting between President Yoweri Museveni and incumbent Rebecca Kagada has reportedly caused panic in the camp of Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah who is eyeing the top seat.
Museveni recently met Oulanyah and Kadaga to calm the storm as the two had started drawing daggers at each other. But on Tuesday, Museveni held a two-hour long closed meeting with Kadaga.
Both Kadaga and Museveni attended the function to mourn the deceased Kampala Archbishop, Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga at Kololo independence grounds and later flew separately to Kisozi, the president’s private farm in Gomba district.
Kadaga has been Speaker for the last 10 years with Oulanyah as her deputy. Oulanyah wants an elevation while Kadaga wants to maintain her seat, a situation that has caused a rift among the ruling NRM part that will have 400 out of 590 MPs in the next Parliament.
Museveni’s position at the end of the meeting that was attended by Kadaga and Oulanyah was that the Central Executive Committee (CEC), a top organ of the ruling party will decide the fate of the speakership and that its decisions will be final. It is for this reason that a further private meeting between Oulanyah and Kadaga left the Oulanyah camp jittery.