Kadaga asks FDC to clarify on Leader of the Opposition in Parliament

PARLIAMENT

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has asked the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) to clarify Kasese Woman Representative Winnie Kizza’s “proper title” in the [Shadow] cabinet.
She said once that is done she will present the Leader of the Opposition in the Tenth Parliament to Ugandans.
Ms Kadaga said what the FDC had done was nominate a “leader of minority in Parliament”.

“I had hoped to present the Leader of the Opposition today,” she said this during the second sitting of the first session of the 10th parliament shortly before President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address.
Ms Kadaga said that when she wrote to FDC inquiring who they intended to name, the party secretary general Nandala Mafabi replied indicating that they had appointed Ms Winnie Kizza as the leader of the minority in Parliament.

“However, I have noted that neither in the Constitution of Uganda nor the Administration of Parliament Act or in our Rules of Procedure do we have leader of the minority,” Ms Kadaga added.
She said business of the House is not yet set and that many of the offices that are crucial for the running of Parliament such as the whips are not fully constituted.
For instance, the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which commands 69 per cent of the Members in the House, has not yet appointed a whip.

According to Parliament’s rules of Procedure, the Chief Opposition Whip is there to ensure due attendance, participation in proceedings and voting in Parliament of members of the Opposition to the government and having the greatest numerical strength.
The Democratic Party has appointed Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu as the whip of the party in Parliament whereas the Uganda People’s Congress has appointed Santa Alum Ogwang.