The Bukedea District Woman MP, Anita Among is the first legislator from the ruling political party, National Resistance Movement (NRM) to write to the Chairman of party’s Electoral Commission, Dr Tanga Odoi, expressing interest in the position of Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament.
This follows a decision by the NRM to task MPs who are interested in the speaker and deputy speaker positions to write to Tanga Odoi as the EC chairman expressing interest in the position starting today Wednesday to Friday this week.
“We have received her letter and okayed. This is the expression of interest we talked about yesterday,” told reporters at the party headquarters before congratulating her.
“I want to congratulate you for expressing interest for Deputy Speaker and thank you for being strong. I want to wish you well, go and do things within the rules and guidelines of NRM as you wait for the next call. We are ending this exercise on Friday and on Saturday we shall present your details to CEC, so, get ready to interact with its members. Thereafter, we shall give you a way forward,” Odoi told Anita Among on Wednesday.
After handing in her expression of interest letter, Among told journalists that she has no objection to the process the party is undertaking in getting flag bearers for the two positions.
“CEC is the top most organ of the party and I have no problem with what they are doing. I respect the decisions that CEC is taking and we are abiding by them as candidates,” Among said.
She pledged to promote independence of parliament, good governance and improving the welfare of lawmakers if she becomes deputy speaker.
“I want to promote the independence of Parliament. My role will not be to fight any arm of government but bringing harmony by working together,” noted Among.
“We need good governance. As a country, we need somebody who can conduct that house to promote good governance and also to promote the welfare of MPs. We have 529 of them coming different parts of the country and they need to be supported to be able to run their constituencies and promote the image of parliament as well,” she added.
According to the program released by Tanga Odoi on Tuesday, EC will forward names of all MPs who shall have expressed interest by Friday to the party’s Central Executive Committee that will sit on Saturday for vetting.
Those who will be successful, their name will then be forwarded to the parliamentary caucus that will make the final decision through a secret ballot at Kololo. Voting is expected to start at 10 am and end at 2 pm.
Other expected to hand in their expression of interest on the same position include David Bahati, Robinah Rwakojo, Jacob Oboth Oboth Thomas Tayebwa among others.
On the position of the speaker, stiff competition within the NRM is between Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah who have been occupying the office of speaker and deputy speaker in the 9th and 10th parliament respectively.
