James Kakooza was Monday overwhelmingly ushered into East African Legislative Assembly EALA amidst protests from opposition.

James Kakooza obtained 183 votes and he becomes Uganda’s New Representative to the EA Bunge replacing the late Mathias Kasamba. James Kakooza becomes an EALA MP after being unopposed in the bye-elections.

James Kakooza vote

By show of hands the house chaired by Deputy Speaker Anitah Among voted on whether James Kakooza should be Uganda’s New Representative to the EA Bunge.

The Verification Committee has recommended that the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline considers amending the Rules of Procedure specifically Schedule B to provide for the conduct of EALA by elections.

This followed protest from opposition that the position should have been put to vote with other parties including Independents.

Opposition protest

Medard Sseggona, Busiro County East and National Unity Platform NUP MP, took to the floor of the house to castigate the process which saw Kakooza walk with ease.

Ssegona raged: “Locking out other citizens on the basis that NRM lost its member would amount to disenfranchisement given the fact there is a lacuna in the law.”

Verification committee report

However, Fox Odoi MP for West Budama North East presented a report of the verification committee of the nominees and applicants for the bye-election of East African Legislative Assembly.

Odoi confirmed to the house: “The NRM informed the Verification Committee that after a competition process in the NRM Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. James Kakooza was nominated to replace the Late Hon. Mathias Kasambo and Representative for Uganda to the EALA.”

He explained: “The NRM noted that to promote the growth of multi- party democracy, no political party can finish the term of another because the representatives are bearers of specific agendas. The NRM pleaded, that it should be the party which lost its member to fill the vacancy.”

He told the house that in line with section 8(2) of the East African Legislative Assembly Elections Act, 2011, upon notification of the vacancy, a bye electron must be held by the Parliament within 9O days from the 18th day of May 2021.

Odoi pointed out: “Parliament appointed nomination days for the bye electron of Uganda’s representative to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) under Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and the same was gazetted in the national
gazette Vo1. CXIV No. 58 of 19tr July 2O21.”

Odoi stated: “Appendix B to the Rules of Procedure is silent on how to replace a deceased member representing Uganda at the EALA. However, a reading of the spirit behind the relevant provisions of the appendix as contained in paragraph 8 (a) and (5) is instructive.”

He went on: “Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure is instructive in respect to procedure in cases not provided for and precedents. It permits the Speaker to decide, having regard to the practices of the House, the Constitutional provisions and practices of other Commonwealth Parliaments.”

Odoi added: “In so far as they may be applicable to Uganda’s Parliament and in so doing, such a ruling becomes part of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament until such a time, when a substantive amendment to the rules
is made in respect to the ruling.”

He cited: “Article 5O of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community provides that the National Assembly of each Partner State shall elect, not from among its members, nine members of the Assembly, who shall represent as much as it is feasible.”

Odoi continued: “The various political parties represented in the National Assembly, shades of opinion, gender and other special interest groups in that Partner State, in accordance with such procedure as the National Assembly of each Partner State may determine.”

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