Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who has held the position since 2011 when she took over from Edward Ssekandi – the first woman in Uganda’s history has today claimed the support of 300 Members of Parliament for her fresh mandate in the 11th Parliament.
She made the revelation today as she launched her campaign bid.
Kadaga used the event held today at Speke Resort to rally MP-elects from several constituencies and from different political parties ranging from the ruling National Resistance Movement, leading opposition party National Unity Platform, Forum for Democratic Change and independents to unveil her campaign team.
She has told the new legislators and reminded the old of her will to represent the will of the people and many times she has stood between the government and the populations.
Out of the 529 MPs that are to occupy the 11th Parliament, Kadaga assured the legislators of her support from over 300 legislators, in her team and unviled her task force’s national chairperson in Isingiro South MP Alex Byarugaba, deputised by the Okoro County’s Gabriel Okoro.
Her reelection team also includes regional whips and representatives like Ms Cecilia Ogwal, Woman MP Dokolo, Sarah Opendi from Tororo, Robert Migadde of Buvuma Islands, Macho Geoffrey from Busia Municipality, Gilbert Oulanyah the Kilak County MP among others.
Speaker Kadaga and her deputy Oulanyah are wooing a House that has 527 Members of Parliament (MPs) of the 11th parliament that is to be inaugurated in May. That is roughly 100 more MPs from the last round in 2016.
The two leaders also have different members of cabinet in their respective corners and since they are both members of the ruling party; National Resistance Movement (NRM), they may have to do more canvassing among the Central Executive Committee (CEC); the party’s highest decision making organ, if the race comes down to the decision of CEC.
Also in the race is Kira Municipality Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda
Kadaga says she has stood for the performance of Parliament even when her Deputy choose to run away, like during the amendment of Article 102 of the Constitution and during the time when Parliament was handling the controversial Sugar Bill.
Sources say there has been a lot of money involved in the campaign for Speaker and Deputy Speaker. Thomas Tayebwa who is gunning for deputy speaker is a money lender who a number of MPs are indebted to. According to sources close to him, he is banking on MPs’ financial vulnerability for the vote of deputy speaker.
