KAMPALA. Mbale City Woman Member of Parliament, Ms Lydia Wanyoto and her counterpart for Masindi District, all members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, have maintained their bid for Speakership of the 12th Parliament, saying the endorsement of Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Markson Oboth- Oboth, wont deter them.
They argue that the process for electing the Speaker and its Deputy should follow due diligence, confirming on Monday that they had not bowed out of the race. "Oboth-Oboth has to express interest and apply. This business of endorsement, we have refused it. It started with CEC, Mr MK, we respect you, but we have to follow the rules," Ms Akiiki said.
On Saturday, Patriotic League of Uganda Secretary General, David Kabanda, announced that President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM party chairman and First Son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), had endorsed Oboth Oboth for Speakership of the 12th Parliament.
The revelation was made from Mukono District during the thanksgiving ceremony of Oboth Oboth attended by over 300 MPs, security chiefs and top government officials. But Ms Akiiki retaliates that the party did not follow due diligence. "For Sub rule (4), the NRM Electoral Commission shall convene the Caucus for the election of the NRM candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker before the first sitting of Parliament.
The first sitting of Parliament has already been decided, it is on May 25. So, these are the rules we are going to follow." Ms Akiiki insisted. According to rule 9 of the rules of procedure, all persons elected to Parliament as NRM MPs shall be eligible as candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
A member who wishes to contest for the position of Speaker and Deputy Speaker shall express interest in writing to the Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission. The Central Executive Committee shall consider the names of all members who have expressed interest in the position and recommend candidates for the positions for election by the NRM Parliamentary Caucus.
It also states that the Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission shall appoint a date, time and a place for nomination and election of the NRM candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament. Ms Lydia Wanyoto argued that a similar oversight, with purported endorsement of outgoing Speaker Annet Anita Among and her Deputy Thomas Taywebwaby NRM CEC, recently raised dust among party members until President Yoweri Museveni made a pronouncement on it.
"The purported CEC resolutions had closed us out, and we petitioned the President, and we talked about rule number 9 of the rules of procedure that had not been followed. Five of us were competing for the Speakership position.’’ She said Adding that; ‘’Now that we took the oath last week, we are now in anticipation of a call of interest, and we shall have Caucus discuss how to get A speaker, and Deputy Speaker," Ms Wanyoto explained. Ms Wanyoto maintained that she is in the race, saying: ‘’Im in the race if we go to the cause and they say the race is open to all of us, I am going to express interest, if the Deputy speakership is preserved for women, I will be the first one to take it up.” She noted.
Ms Wanyoto wants a challenge with Mr Oboth Oboth, whom she described as a long-time friend.
On her part, Ms Akiiki said she is waiting for the Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, Dr Tanga Odoi, to invite them so that they can officially express interest.
Other people who have expressed interest in Speakership include Laroo-Pece MP Mr Nobert Mao and Ms Persis Namuganza.