Outgoing speaker of parliament Hon Rebecca Kadaga has announced that she will contest as an Independent candidate in the race for Speaker of the 11th Parliament.
This comes after the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) dropped her in favor of Hon Jacob Oulanyah who has been selected as the party flagbearer, ahead of elections slated for tomorrow.
Both Kadaga and Oulanyah are members of NRM CEC -the party’s top most decision making organ.
“I have come to inform the people of Uganda that my party, the NRM has opted not to give me the party flag for position of Speaker of Parliament. I have therefore decided to contest as Independent,” Ms Kadaga announced during a press conference in Kampala hours after CEC’s decision.
Ms Kadaga, who has been the Speaker of the 9th and 10th Parliament and also the Deputy Speaker for the 7th and 8th Parliament, said there have always been attempts to ejected her from the party leadership but has always prevailed.
“You recall during the CEC elections last year, there was tremendous state interference, intimidation and funding but I won the contest as second national Vice Chairperson (female),” she said, adding that, “The major reason I’m being pushed out is because of speaking about the issues of the ordinary people. I want to assure you the people that I will continue speaking on those issues.”
It has been reported that Majority of CEC members backed Oulanyah to become the Speaker of the 11th Parliament Kadaga who they accused of undermining the party.
Kadaga says the major reason she is being purged is because of being vocal on issues of the ordinary people.
The newly sworn-in members of the 11th Parliament will tomorrow converge at Kololo airstrip to elect NRM party candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker an event expected to host president Yoweri Museveni who is also the NRM National Chairman.
“I will continue to stand up for the rights of those who are being marginalized, therefore I’m appealing to the people of Uganda to rally their representatives in Parliament to do the needful,” she said.
The Speakership race now has four candidates, who include Ms Kadaga, Mr Oulanyah, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda (FDC) and Bukoto Central MP Richard Ssebamala (DP) among others.