Ruhinda North MP, Thomas Tayebwa has been dully nominated by the Electoral Commission of the ruling political party, National Resistance Movement (NRM) to contest for the position of Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliamament.
He is the second MP to have been nominated for the same position after Bukedea district Woman MP Anita Among.
The party on Tuesday asked all members of parliament interested in the speaker and deputy speaker position to use Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week to write to the Chairperson of the Election expressing interest in any of the positions.
After receiving Tayebwa’s Expression of Interest letter, Tanga Odoi Tayebwa told the reporters that he “qualifies by all standards” to run for deputy speaker position.
“You qualify by all standards. The only thing I want is to keep the rules of the game, no body should intimidate a candidate. The candidates have the right to address their concerns within the perimeter set by the party. The party set standards – the Chairman of the party has said that we must do things like brothers and sisters. That is all we want to hear,” Odoi said, before cautioning candidates from campaigning on ethnic grounds.
On his part, Tayebwa told reporters that he is pleased with the party’s process to get flag bearers for the speaker and deputy speaker positions.
“I am really happy with my party for initiating this process and it is important for such steps to be taken so that we remain with cohesion and we get leaders whom people want to lead them and I believe that is what we are going to have – a speaker chosen by members and for the members,” Tayebwa said.
He said the 11th Parliamament needs a deputy speaker who is well prepared, determined and one who connects very well with the members of Parliament.
“This isn’t about someone who is well-lobbied, speaking a lot of English, interpreting laws, no, we have a lot in the background. How MPs look at the their deputy speaker, their perception of the institution of Parliamament and how they can use it to help the people,” Tayebwa said.
He promised that Parliamament under his stewardship as the deputy speaker, will address a number of issues including enabling legislators to always reach Parliamament for action on challenges affecting their constituents.
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.
