- 70% MPs want her back
BY OUR REPORTER
The race for who becomes the next speaker of parliament has kicked-off in earnest pitting old-time protagonists Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah in yet another duel.
The two leaders of the legislature fiercely tussled it out for the speakership of the 10th parliament, whence the iron lady from Kamuli was eventually endorsed by the NRM as the party’s candidate for the top job whilst the man from Omoro settled for deputy.
Sources, however, intimate that Speaker Kadaga was left to serve for 10 years on the understanding that she would quit for her deputy Oulanyah, following a precedent which had been set by her predecessor Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who served for 10 years before being elevated to the position of vice president. However, this newspaper couldn’t independently verify if at all there was any such agreement between the two principals, which claim the Oulanyah team is holding onto vowing that this is their time.
According to analysts, Oulanyah’s chances of becoming next speaker are dashed by the appointment of Justice Owiny-Dollo to the position of Chief Justice late last year, replacing Bart Katureebe who is in retirement. Owiny-Dollo hails from Acholi sub-region just as deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah. Observers argue that it would be politically immoral to have a speaker of parliament and chief justice all from one tribe.
Most MPs want Kadaga
A survey carried out by this newspaper reveals that most MPs including the new-comers are in support of Kadaga remaining speaker of parliament, counting on the impressive performance she has exhibited in the last 10 years at the helm of the August House.
We reached out to 300 MPs who will constitute the 11th parliament with a straight question of whom they would prefer as next speaker of parliament and why. Of the MPs sampled, 180 belong to the ruling NRM, 80 are Opposition, and 40 Independents. 210 MPs affirmed their support for Kadaga (representing 70 per cent), 43 said they wouldn’t vote her, while 47 MPs were undecided. Among those who would vote for Kadaga, 163 are NRM, 37 Opposition, and 10 Independents.
Those in favour of Kadaga say that she has steered parliament business with integrity, fairness and objectivity well-knowing that she was elected by fellow legislators to serve the nation, not partisan positions. It’s worth noting that Kadaga is part of the ruling party politiburo holding the powerful position of second national vice chairperson, a position reserved for females.
“Kadaga has served steadfastly without drawing a line between ruling party and Opposition in the August House. She listens to all, and gives a chance to all to make their submissions,” says a legislator who requests anonymity, adding: “Her neutrality and strong character while handling parliament business even when she would be expected to soften towards her party’s position is what would earn her the tagline of ‘Opposition sympathizer.”
According to the legislator, Kadaga’s tagline of “opposition sympathizer” is what led to some forces within the ruling party attempt to fight her out of the enviable CEC position of national vice chairperson during the hotly-contested NRM CEC elections late last year, where she faced youthful lands state minister Princess Persis Namuganza who was believed to have been sponsored by some quarters against the Busoga Matriarch.
On the other hand, there are countless times when Kadaga has solidly stood with the ruling party including the passing of the constitutional amendment to strike-off presidential age limits from the Constitution. Indeed, Kadaga outlined this, in a battle to retain her CEC position, as one of the most sacrosanct contributions and show of loyalty to the ruling party and President Yoweri Museveni, the party chairman.
It’s during Kadaga’s tenure as speaker that the institution of parliament has fought to redefine itself as independent from undue influence from the Executive in accordance with the doctrine of separation of powers.
In an earlier interview with this newspaper on how she managed to cement the independence of Parliament from other arms of government, she said thus:
“I think we have made progress. Before the 1995 Constitution, the powers were heavily gravitated towards the Executive. The Legislature and Judiciary were like small brothers of the Executive. However, the 1995 Constitution gave us some autonomy. Nonetheless, I have learnt that it’s a constant battle; to remind the other branches of government that they should not step on my feet. This is my parameter; and this is your parameter; don’t step on my feet. So we have made progress because I have been continuously talking about it, and we are gaining ground.”
The women vote
Speaker Kadaga is a champion and advocate of women empowerment. She has been at the forefront of fighting for the under-privileged women including the girl-child. This accolade has won her the admiration and support of majority women legislators under their umbrella of Uganda Women Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (UWOPA) which now constitutes 146 district woman MPs out of a total of 499 directly elected MPs. The UWOPA lobby group would want to see a woman retain the speakership, since this is the only top constitutional position occupied by a woman. All the other top positions including the presidency, vice president, chief justice and his deputy, prime minister and his deputies are held by men.
“For us as women parliamentarians, we know that Kadaga is our prized candidate for speakership; she has proved herself and we want this momentum to continue. It would be a great disadvantage to the women of this country if a man was supported to become next speaker- that wouldn’t be good justice,” says a female MP.
Why others want her out?
Much as a considerate number of MPs of the 11th parliament would endorse and support Kadaga for speakership, there are those who think that she has had enough. “I think 10 years is enough for one to leave a mark, Kadaga has served well, and it’s high time she left the stage for others,” says one of the MPs interviewed for the Public Lens survey on the race for speakership.
There are also those who think that she should be punished for not delivering the Busoga vote for president Museveni in the just-concluded elections. According to records from the Electoral Commission, Busoga overwhelmingly voted for key opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu alias Bobi Wine in the presidential vote, while at the same time throwing out NRM MP flag-bearers.
“How can you be a speaker moreover coming from Busoga and the President is humiliated in your own backyard?” asks one of the MPs who participated in this survey. In her submission, while appearing on a local radio talkshow recently, Kadaga said that Busoga voted in protest against poor service delivery in the sub-region, saying that the NRM government has to-date tarmacked only one road. She also enumerated alarming poverty levels in the region which was once the richest in the country, adding the brutality of the military marine force on the fishing communities as among the issues that cost the NRM and President Museveni votes in the sub-region.
Kadaga for vice president?
However, the one billion dollar question pundits are asking is where President Museveni would place Kadaga in case she isn’t returned as speaker? Would she be elevated to the position of vice president? It’s illogical that Kadaga would accept to go lower than the enviable position of speaker. On the other hand, those who have been observing her critically say that she wouldn’t become comfortable with the elevation to vice presidency since, according to them, the vice presidency, much as it is a constitutional office coming second to the president, is a political office without real power and autonomy.
“Kadaga seems to have read through all this and she knows exactly what she wants. At parliament she is autonomous and she exerts her influence as speaker controlling the parliament budget and deliberations. Even the head of state would tread with her carefully as speaker since parliament determines a lot of crucial things. This is quite different from being a vice president which is largely a ceremonial position, with no actual work,” says an analyst.
It remains to be seen how the battle for speakership will turn out as different dynamics come into play, with the NRM parliamentary caucus weighing-in.