KAMPALA.A total of 159 MPs were absent from the opening sitting of Uganda’s 12th Parliament on Monday, despite many of them having appeared earlier for swearing-in ceremonies.
Chief Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija confirmed that only 370 legislators attended the sitting at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, meaning nearly 30 percent of the 529-member House missed the crucial vote to elect a new Speaker to replace Anita Among.
President Yoweri Museveni presided over the sitting, underscoring the significance of the leadership transition.
The unusually low turnout quickly fueled speculation within political circles, with some MPs privately questioning whether the absentees were expressing loyalty to Among or distancing themselves from the highly contested Speaker race involving Jacob Marksons Oboth, Paul Mwiru and Norbert Mao.
Some observer argue that absentee MPs could have been Among’s diehards and never wanted to take part in an exercise where their star is not a candidate.
Others cautioned against rushing to conclusions, saying some legislators may have faced travel or logistical challenges linked to the parliamentary transition.
Among did not attend the function. It remains unclear whether she was disallowed.
However, Among remains a subject of a corruption investigation with her Nakasero residence kept under police and military guard.
Still, the absence of nearly a third of MPs will become one of the biggest talking points of the historic sitting.