The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have elected their 10 representatives in Parliament at a function held at the UPDF Land Forces Headquarters in Luweero District today, Wednesday
The representatives were elected through the Army Council meeting chaired by President Yoweri Museveni, the Commander-in-Chief.
They include Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Sam Okiding and Chief Executive Officer of National Executive Committee (NEC) Lt Gen Sam Mugira.
The exercise, like any others is managed by the Electoral Commission and is conducted in line with the regulations that guide the election of Special Interest Groups.
“I KATEEBA TUMUSIIME DIANA being the Returning Officer for Election of Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Representatives to Parliament having added up the number of votes cast for each candidate in accordance with Section 72 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177. I declare the following who have obtained the largest number of votes as the elected Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Males Representatives to Parliament,” the declaration form reads in part.
LIST:
• Lt Gen. Sam Okiding – 346
• Col. Sylvia Meeme – 314
• Col. Night Ikiriza – 307
• Lt. Gen. James Mugira – 303
• Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma – 282
• Brig. David Gonyi – 266
• Maj. Gen. Henry Masiko – 261
• Col. Victor Nekesa – 261
• Maj. Gen. James Kinalwa – 241
• Brig. Joseph Semwanga -198
Lt. Gen. Sam Kavuma, is the Deputy Coordinator of Operations Wealth Creation, Brig. Gen. David Gonyi, is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Maj. Gen. Henry Moses Matsiko, is the Joint Staff Political Commissar, while Maj. Gen. James Kinalwa, is the Joint Staff of Human Resource Management.
Maj. Gen. Joseph Ssemwanga, is the Deputy Commander of Land Forces, Col. Night Ikiriza is from the Special Forces Command, Col. Sylvia Meeme is from the Military Police, and Col. Christine Nekesa is from the Air Force.
Only Lt Gen Mugira, Maj Gen Matsiko, and Maj Gen Kavuma had served in the 11th Parliament.
The newly elected army MPs are expected to be formally received by Parliament for swearing-in, after which they will assume their legislative roles in the House.
These will replace the following:
Gen. David Muhoozi – Former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and current Minister of State for Internal Affairs.
Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala – Former CDF and current Minister of Works and Transport.
Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi – Former CDF and currently serving as the Minister of State for Trade.
Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu – Former Deputy CDF and currently a Senior Presidential Advisor.
Lt. Gen. James Mugira – Managing Director and CEO of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC).
Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko – UPDF Chief Political Commissar.
Maj. Gen. Sam Kavuma – Former Deputy Commander Land Forces.
Col. Dr. Victor Nekesa – One of the three female representatives.
Lt. Col. Charity Bainababo – One of the three female representatives.
Maj. Dr. Jennifer Alanyo – One of the three female representatives.
During the constitutional assembly, some legislators opposed military representation in Parliament, but government ministers argued it would allow the armed forces to keep a finger on the pulse of national politics.
On January 30, 2021, President Museveni told UPDF representatives that their role in Parliament was to act as a “conveyor belt of national issues and a listening post.”
Unlike public elections for MPs and other groups, the UPDF vote is an internal process chaired by the Commander-in-Chief, with a requirement that at least two female officers be included.
The Army representatives are elected in line with the 1995 Constitution, which reserves 10 seats in Uganda’s Parliament for the UPDF.