Bukono county legislator, Persis Namuganza has recounted events that preceded the decision for ruling political party, NRM, to have Omoro County MP Jacob Oulanyah as the party’s flag bearer for the position of speaker of the 11th parliament.
Speaking to Journalists while leaving State House Entebbe after the NRM Caucus sitting, Namuganza, said the process was a success and conducted with ease.
“The most contentious position was that of speakership but CEC made it easy when they came up with a resolution read to Caucus by the Secretary General, Kasule Lumumba that they had endorsed, Jacob Oulanyah and it was emphasized by the President and Chairman of the NRM party, Yoweri Museveni,” said Namuganza.
She revealed that the President explained that the decision was reached inorder to be consistent since there is a precedent that those who hold the position of speaker do it for 10 years.
“The Chairman of the party gave us the history starting from the previous speakers where he said even himself was a speaker of parliament but that position has never been subjected to a lot of contestation like it has been this time,” said Namuganza.
“The President said for someone to be a Speaker of Parliament, you must be chosen out of will of the people who belong to your party or parliament not you coming out strongly campaigning day and night trying to show that you are a candidate on your own – something he said violates the norms and values on which that position was created,” she added.
The outgoing State Minister in charge of lands said their rules of procedure were also read out to them, explicitly prohibiting any person from openly campaigning for any position before being nominated and endorsed by the party.
She further noted that the president would later ask members of the Caucus to support Jacob Oulanyah for speakership since he is the party’s flag bearer.
“We are happy because that is something which was bringing a lot of disagreements amongst the members,” Namuganza added before emphasizing that as NRM MPs they will stick to the CEC and Caucus decision tomorrow as they vote for speaker.
The 11th parliament will tomorrow hold its first session at Kololo independence grounds where legislators will vote for the speaker and deputy speaker who will steer the house in the next 5 years.