Chief Whip Tayebwa to petition Museveni for Speakership Election amendments

By Francis Lubega

23^rd March 2022

Government chief whip Thomas Tayebwa has promised to engage President Yoweri Museveni for an amendment in the constitution specifically on article 82(4).

The said article burs parliament from conducting any business when the speaker’s position is vacant.

Tayebwa said that it is inhuman and immoral to conduct elections at such a time when the body of fallen Jacob Oulanya is still abroad and not yet received and buried.

He cited examples where a president or Chief justice dies when their vice president or deputies take over.

Tayebwa now proposes that at least even for parliament it should be amended that once the position of a speaker falls vacant his/her deputy takes over for a period of 60 days and later elections be conducted.

Apparently parliament is at standstill after the death of speaker Jacob Oulanya and no business can be conducted not until a substantive speaker has been elected which process is underway and voting is scheduled this week of Friday.

This Wednesday, the National Resistance Movement Central Executive Committee –NRM CEC is convening at Entebbe state house to scrutinize the applications of the 12 contestants who submitted yesterday at NRM electoral commission.

Among those who are in the race include; the current Deputy Speaker Anita Among, Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi, State Minister for Defense Jacob Oboth-Oboth, State Minister for Sports Hamson Obua, and different area MPs like Jackson Atima, Felix Okot, Theodore Ssekikubo, Alex Brandon Kintu, Sarah Opendi, Florence Asiimwe, John Okot and Pius Wakai.