BY MOSES MUGALULA
NEWS EDITOR MEDIA
KOLOLO
ALL the way from Bukedea, Teso Subregion, here is Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, the newly elected Speaker of Parliament. She has advanced from the fifth floor from where she has been serving as the Deputy Speaker for Parliament to the 6th floor of the Parliamentary building, where Speaker of Parliament sits. Thanks to the ruling NRM MPS, the independents and a section of opposition member of Parliament who has massively voted for her.
The Bukedea district woman Member of Parliament has defeated opposition candidate Asuman Basalirwa to be crowned 11th Parliament Speaker, taking over after the fallen Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah.
In the presence of her party chairman, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, also president of Uganda, Anita Among almost swept all votes to be crowned new Speaker.
She has polled 401 against Basalirwa’s 66 in an election presided over by Chief Justice of Uganda Alfonse Owiny Dollo.
Earlier before elections commenced, Rt. Hon. Anita Among promised to serve the nation with one heart. She said, “I want to thank you for this confidence the house has showed me. I am forever endebted to you for this confidence that you are giving me, in nominating me for speaker of the 11th Parliament. It is with great honour and humility that I accept the nomination and I am ready to serve the nation.”
HOW ELECTIONS OF THE SPEAKER WERE CONDUCTED
It all started by the Chief justice proclaiming that Parliament shall sit at Kololo ceremonial grounds on the 25th day of March 2022 at 10am, to elect the Speaker of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
He said, on Sunday 20th March 2022, the country received sad news of the demise of Rt. Hon. Jacob Lokori Oulanyah. He died in Seatle, Washington DC in USA.
“This rendered the office of the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda vacant.
Under Article 82 (4) of the Constitution of Republic of Uganda and rule 5 (4) of Rules of Procedure of Parliament of Uganda, NO business can be transacted by Parliament other than election of the Speaker at any time that office fell vacant.” Said Chief Justice.
He noted thst, “This is the reason for my coming here today as the Chief justice of the Republic of Uganda to preside over the election of the Speaker in fulfilment of Article 82 (5) of The Constitution of Republic of Uganda.”
This Article provides that, “The Chief Justice or the Judge designated by the Chief Justice shall preside at an election of the Speaker and this Speaker shall preside of the election of the Deputy Speaker.”
The importance of carrying out this election, CJ said, when the body of Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah arrives in this Country, a number of things will happen. Chief among which, will be his lying in State of Parliament and Parliament honouring him. That will be a sitting Parliament and such a Parliament can only be presided over by a Speaker. “Honouring Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah in Parliament is what we can give him.” CJ told Parliament before calling about nominations of candidates for Speaker and nominees given time to consent as Item no. 6 of the order paper read.
MP MUWANGA KIVUMBI
Rising on point of procedures, Butambala county MP who doubles as Chairperson of Buganda Parliamentary caucus said he is a Chairperson of 126 members of Parliament from Central region, a population of about 12 million people.
“A few days ago, Your lordship you were quoted in the Press making comments to the effect that a particular group of people in Central region were tribalistic which was not true….. ” Said Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi who was cut short by Prime minister Nabbanja on point of order, accusing the member of Parliament of diverting the House, “When we are handling a very important issue.”
She was however booed by members of Parliament who believed that nothing was more important than Kabaka of Buganda which they say was blackmailed by Chief justice.
CJ put it to the people of Central region that they protested against flying late Oulanyah to the hospital in America, “Yet even their ethnic leader was flown by the Presidential jet to Germany for treatment and they did not protest.”
Muwanga Kivumbi openly told CJ how he misrepresented facts because it is not true that central Uganda People protested against Oulanyah’s treatment and it is also not true that Kabaka used a presidential jet as alleged by CJ.
Oulanyah however ruled in favour of PM Nabbanja that Muwanga Kivumbi was not in order, promoting a group of members of parliament to start singing ‘Ekitiibwa kya Buganda’ the Buganda Anthem in protest of what CJ said against the people of Buganda.
MP SHAMIM MALENDE ON IMPRISONED MPS SSEGIRINYA AND SSEWANYANA
The Kampala woman MP said, “My lord I rise on a point of procedure, under rule 78,1d of Rules of Procedure of Parliament.
My lord, we have two Honourable members of Parliament currently who are not here and they are jailed in Kigo Prison that is Hon. Ssegirinya Muhammad of Kawempe North and Hon. Allan Ssewanyana of Makindye West.”
She revealed that, “Unnder article 28, (3a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, every person charge with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty or until that person is pleaded guilty. The two Honourable members of Parliament have never pleaded guilty, no evidence have so far been laid against them.”
“And according to rule 5 of our rules of procedure, the members of Parliament are entitled to participate in this election. So my point of procedure my Lord, is that, are we proceeding right when we have not established whether any fora has been put in place for the two Honourable Members of Parliament to participate in this election? I take to submit my lord.” Malende, who is a lawyer by profession, told Chief justice.
In his response, CJ said Hon. Malende did not cite any where the Constitution that if any member is incarcerated, Parliament can not proceed!
“I don’t see it anywhere in the Constitution. And with rules of procedures, once there is quorum, Parliament can proceed,”He ruled that members proceed with the nomination of Candidates for Speaker.
PRIME MINISTER NABBANJA NOMINATES ANITA AMONG
Your Excellency the President of Republic of Uganda Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, my Lord the Chief justice, Hon. Members, my name is Nabbanja Robinah, woman representative Kakumiro district. I beg to move under Article 82 of the Constitution and rule 5 of our rules of procedures of Parliament that Hon. Anita Annet Among woman representative of Bukedea district do take the Chair of this Parliament as the Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Republic of Uganda. I beg to move.
Hon. Dennis Obua Amson, MP Ajuri County, Alebtong district seconded the nomination of Rt. Hon. Anita Among for Speaker Parliament of Uganda.
LOP MPUUGA NOMINATES ASUMAN BASALIRWA
Your lordship the chief justice, in compliance with rule 5 sub rule 9 of rules of procedure, I hereby move a motion that the Hon. Asuman Basalirwa member of Parliament for Bugiri Municipality take the chair of this Parliament as the Speaker.
He was seconded by Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, MP Nakawa West.
Hon. Jonathan Ebwaru MP Soroti City in Teso Subregion said, “I rise here to close nomination! I move to close the nominations.” Causing laughter from members of Parliament until he gathered himself again and said, “I move the motion that nomination be closed.”
Hon. Wilfred Nuwagaba MP Ndorwa County East seconded the motion to close the nominations.
CJ put the question whether nomination be closed as proposed and majority supported nomination to be closed.
CJ declared Hon. Anita Among and Hon. Basalirwa candidates for speaker. Both candidates consented
Hon. Basalirwa said, “I Asuman Basalirwa, member of Parliament Bugiri Municipality do hereby consent the nomination as Speaker of Parliament. I think you.”
SSEWUNGU AND OLANYAH GILBERT ON M7’S CAMERAS
Before electons started, members of Parliament Joseph Ssewungu and Gilbert Olanya complained about Prwsident Museveni’s car with cameras parked near where elections wereally going to be conducted to make sure MP seen who they vote. MPs wanted this car to be taken away but CJ ruled them out.
Elections started and final results have given Rt. Hon. Anita a win as the new Speaker.
News Editor media congratulates Rt. Hon Anita Annet Among
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