Prime
Among promises fairness after taking landslide win
Bukedea Woman MP Anita Annet Among, Ruhinda North MP Thomas Tayebwa, and Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, interact ahead of a special sitting of the 11th Parliament to elect Speaker and Deputy Speaker at Kololo in Kampala yesterday. PHOTOS / DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Mr Tayebwa also trounced Mr Moses Okot Bitek of Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) after polling 379 votes against Mr Okto’s 82 votes, completing the ritual of installing NRM party in the office until the end of the 11th Parliament.
Ms Anita Among (Bukedea District Woman MP) yesterday took a landslide victory over her sole rival, Mr Asumani Basalirwa (Bugiri Municipality) in a lopsided Speakership race at Kololo Independence Grounds.
Ms Among garnered 401 votes against Mr Basalirwa’s 66 votes, with—remarkably—one invalid vote for Thomas Tayebwa.
Mr Tayebwa also trounced Mr Moses Okot Bitek of Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) after polling 379 votes against Mr Okto’s 82 votes, completing the ritual of installing NRM party in the office until the end of the 11th Parliament.
Both Ms Among and Mr Tayebwa are former FDC members, who have since found comfort in the ruling NRM government.
The 529-strong 11th Parliament has 336 NRM legislators, and 109 who outrightly identify as Opposition. The independents total 74, with a further 10 army representatives.
While not all legislators turned up for the elections, an Opposition-fronted candidate still failed to breach the 100-vote mark in either contest.
This was despite them having—at least on paper—the numbers to do so. Observers say this speaks to the fact that problems besetting the Opposition are deep-seated.
The National Unity Platform (NUP)—the leading Opposition party in the House, with 57 legislators—did not field any candidate. It instead supported Mr Basalirwa (JEEMA) and Mr Okot (FDC)’s campaigns.
By 10am, the time Parliament should have convened, more than 300 legislators had arrived, ready to cast their votes.
However, Parliament did not convene until midday when President Museveni arrived.
When voting finally started, the count of registered legislators stood at 399 members.
However, several other legislators who arrived late were allowed to vote, bringing the total number to 468 out of a possible 529 (a voter turnout of 88 percent).
The ritual of installing Ms Among ended at 3pm with her swearing-in.
At Kololo, Mr Basalirwa was gracious in defeat—even pledging to work with Ms Among. He said “the process—unlike other processes—has been free, fair and transparent.”
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He added: “I thank everyone for this democratic process. If you think I am of help and my wisdom is needed, I am available.”
Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dolo thanked Mr Basalirwa for his maturity in conceding defeat.
President Museveni (centre) with new Speaker of Parliament Anita Among (left) and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa after their election at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala yesterday. PHOTO / DAVID LUBOWA.
He told Ms Among that she is “not a Speaker of a section of the legislators, but the Speaker of the entire Parliament.”
He added that there must be harmony between the three arms of the government.
He said without mutual support, the situation can never be accomplished.
“No arm of government can do without the other two. Speaking as the head of the Judiciary, I would like to assure the MPs that we shall seriously guard the independence so that we can take this country forward,” he said.
In her acceptance speech, Ms Among said the country lost a mentor, a leader and a patriot in fallen Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
“Today is a day of mixed emotions, a day when we continue to mourn our fallen leader, and yet the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda demands us to respect it,” she said.
She added: “I never envisioned [this day] would have happened because for next five or 10 years, I would have been the Deputy Speaker and I would have had a stronger mentor.”
She promised to make the 11th Parliament a people-centred Parliament where debates will be based on research, reason and voices, not hearsay.
“I am also alive to the fact that the House is made of different representation and I will make sure I give chance to everybody,” she said.
“I will support you all the members of Parliament to remain in your constituency for the next periods,” she added.
Mr Thomas Tayebwa, the new Deputy Speaker, told MPs that he is prepared for the task ahead.
Mr Tayebwa also apologised to the people of northern Uganda for unsavoury statements made by people from other regions when Oulanyah was declared dead last Sunday.
