West Budama south MP Jacob Oboth challenged the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah to forge a way of harmonizing their relations if they are to succeed in their new assignments as given to them by parliamentarians. Oboth who stood for deputy speakership but withdrew to allow the status quo as requested by NRM CEC, says the two officials need to learn a lesson from their campaigns and start working towards unity.
Oboth who has been chairing the parliamentary committee on rules, disciplines and privileges noted that if the two do not have team work, they will be working towards their own downfall. He says now that elections are over and MPs have already been sworn-in, the public wants services as pledged by all those who were seeking for votes during campaigns and therefore parliament must ensure that government programs are given priority.
Kadaga and Oulanyah have not been in good relations which forced Oulanyah to stand for speakership though he later bowed out after CEC resolved to maintain the status quo.
The status quo has remained for the leadership of parliament as the speaker Rebbeca Kadaga and deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah retained in their seat. Kadaga went through unopposed as Jacob Oulanyah won with 300 votes against Mohammed Nsereko who got 115 votes out of 416 MPs participated in voting and 1 invalid vote. 11 members of parliament did not turn up for voting the speaker and deputy speaker. The elections were conducted as the president was watching on in fear that there could have been a change of heart by NRM members of parliament to shun NRM candidate for the deputy speaker and vote Mohammed Nsereko.
After winning the deputy Speaker post, Jacob Oulanyah pledged to work with the speaker Kadaga and added that the contest for deputy speakership humbled him and taught him humility. Mohammed Nsereko while accepting the defeat said that there will be no independent parliament when members of parliament are poorly paid.
While speaking soon after the handover of instruments of power to the deputy speaker President Yoweri Museveni said that parliament has passed the test, especially the NRM Members of Parliament, who would have gone for another candidate and leaving out the party candidate. He denied claims that the deputy speaker Oulanyah is a puppet and said that he had to attend today’s meeting because he thought that since this parliament is full of younger legislators, like that of 1962, they would be misguided and repeat the mistakes of the past which would cause the parliament and government to collapse. He defended giving NRM members of parliament 5 million each, saying that it was not corruption but the money was given to them to cope up with the problems of the society and he vowed to fight corruption in the term of office.
The Member of Parliament for Ntenjeru north Amos Lugolobi says that the president should walk the talk against corruption. The member of parliament of parliament for Bukomansimbi south county Deogratias Kiyingi says that method used for the election of the deputy speaker should be borrowed and used in other elections because it was free and fair.
