I am being pressed out because of speaking on the issues of the ordinary people. I want to assure you the people of Uganda that I will continue speaking on those issues.
Kamuli Woman MP, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga has said she is being fought in her own political party, National Resistance Movement (NRM) for standing with Ugandans and talking about issues that affect them.
She made the remarks on Sunday evening at Hotel Africana while announcing that she will tomorrow contest as an independent candidate for Speaker of Parliament following a decision by NRM to back Jacob Oulanyah as the party’s flag bearer.
The elections will be held at Kololo independence grounds as the 11th parliament convenes for the first time to vote for persons to steer it as Speaker and Deputy Speaker for the next five years.
Sitting at statehouse Entebbe on Sunday morning, CEC endorsed Jacob Oulanyah as the NRM flag bearer, a position that was later upheld by the NRM parliamentary caucus.
According to Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, being denied the party flag is one of the many ongoing attempts in NRM to have her ejected from the party’s leadership.
“I have come to inform the people of Uganda that my party (NRM) has opted not to give me the flag for the position of Speaker of Parliament, I have therefore decided to contest,” declared Kadaga.
“As you may recall, there has been many attempts to have me ejected from the party’s leadership – you recall during the party’s CEC elections last year, there was tremendous state interference, intimidation and funding but I won the contest of second national Vice Chairperson”
“Today, I was not given an opportunity to present myself to the electorate and the major reason I am being pressed out is because of speaking on the issues of the ordinary people. I want to assure you the people of Uganda that I will continue speaking on those issues,” said Kadaga.
She added that she is offering herself to among other things stand with the marginalized groups including women whom she said their position has been taken.
“Despite the constitutional provisions, the position of the women has been relegated against article 32. So I want to stand-up to the rights of those who are marginalized. Therefore, I am appealing to the people of Uganda to ask your representatives in parliament to do the needful,” reiterated Kadaga.
Kadaga, an advocate of courts of judicature, has served as a legislator for an uninterrupted period of 27 years as the Woman MP for Kamuli District since 1989 as National Resistance Council member.
She holds a masters degree in law from the University of Zimbabwe. She is the first woman to establish a law firm in Uganda – Kadaga and Co. Advocates established in 1984. She has previously served at Minister of State for Regional Cooperation, Minister of State in charge of Transport, Cabinet Minister im Charge of Parliamentary Affairs, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and recently, speaker of Parliament.
At the International scene, Kadaga has previously served as the President Inter-Parliamentary Union, Africa, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and Vice Chairperson of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians.