The Government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa has hit at Members of Parliament from the Greater north districts for playing the tribal card in the forthcoming elections for Speaker.
On Tuesday Mp’s from three Parliamentary groups from Northern Uganda sat and unanimously endorsed all persons who have expressed interest in the Speaker ship docket from the Acholi, Lango, and West Nile sub-regions.
The group further threatened to shun the elections scheduled for Friday this week should the Central Executive Committee (CEC) decline to front one of them.
While addressing the media, Tayebwa said the Mp’s are being unfair because the northern Uganda has enjoyed the service of two heads of government arms .
“When the two heads of branches of government were coming from northern Uganda , when the head of Parliament Oulanyah, the Chief Justice Owiny Dollo and the NRM Secretary General were from Acholi, I didn’t hear any grumbling from other regions. I urge colleagues that if your argument that someone should be voted from northern Uganda , go to hell,” Tayebwa says
Denis Hamson Obua, the Ajuri County MP one of the contestants says the Speaker was allocated based on the performance of the party and regional balance
“Oulanyah was deployed to serve for five years, northern Uganda demonstrated its aspirations, interests and wishes when it overwhelmingly supported the NRM and we believe that as part of balancing the boat, the north must continue with its agenda based on the fact that the party takes this decision.” he said
A joint statement from the group reads;
“If CEC fails to select any candidate from among them, the 102 members shall not turn up for the elections of the speaker on Friday, March 25th, 2022. We shall instead congregate at the Rt Hon Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s residence to continue to console with the family and mourn with our brothers and sisters from the three sub-regions”, said the bloc resolution.
According to rules of procedure, when the Speaker-ship seat falls vacant, Members of Parliament are required to vote a replacement in the next sitting.
Article 82(4) provides that subject to Clause (4) of Article 81 of this Constitution, “no business shall be transacted in Parliament other than an election to the office of Speaker at any time that office is vacant”.
The election, under the circumstances, will be presided over by the Chief Justice or a judge designated by the Chief Justice, until the new speaker takes an oath. Therefore, Members of Parliament are expected to seat on Tuesday, March 29, to elect the new speaker of Parliament.
Compiled by Zainab Ali
