Battle for Deputy Speaker job heats up as minister joins race

At least six legislators, including a minister, are quietly pushing to replace Mr Jacob Oulanyah as the Deputy Speaker in 11th Parliament.  

Mr Oulanyah has publicly stated that he will contest for the Speaker position. His boss Rebecca Kadaga, who was expected to give way for Mr Oulanyah, has also expressed interest in retaining the job.

All the six MPs are incumbents and have started courting members through text messages and phone calls.  The NRM legislators, who want to contest for Speaker and Deputy, must be cleared by the top organ of the party- the Central Executive Committee.

Daily Monitor’s Misairi Thembo Kahungu looks at the MPs seeking to replace Mr Oulanyah. 

David Bahati, 48

He has been MP for Ndorwa West in Kabale District since 2006 and State minister for Planning since 2015. In this position, he has been a common figure representing the ministry before parliamentary committees of Finance, Budget and National Economy.

He studied both O and A levels at Kigezi College, Butobere. Mr Bahati holds Bachelor in Commerce, a Master Degree in Business Administration and is a certified public accountant (CPA). He also boasts of an Executive Certificate from Warton University, USA, and Campaign Leadership Certificate from Leadership Institute, Arlington, USA.

In the 9th Parliament, he served as the Deputy Government Chief Whip and treasurer of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus. He is the current chair of the National Prayer Breakfast and at some point chaired the Presidential Budget Advisory Committee. He represents the Finance ministry on the Parliamentary Commission and was influential in the enactment of Public Finance and Management Act and the National Development Plans II and III. 

Before joining politics, he was the head of finance and administration at the Population Secretariat, Ministry of Finance, from 1998 to 2005. In the same ministry, he served as the accountant of the Population Secretariat (1997-1998). Mr Bahati worked with the Diamond Trust Bank as a Banking Officer.

Muhammad Nsereko, 40

Mr Nsereko is the MP for Kampala Central.
He was first elected to Parliament on the NRM ticket in 2014. After being branded a “rebel” MP, he was among the four NRM legislators that were ordered out of the House but later held on following prolonged legal battles.

Mr Nsereko later left the ruling party and has twice won elections as an Independent.

He sits on the Business and the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committees. Mr Nsereko also chaired the Equal Opportunities Committee in the 9th Parliament.

In 2016, Mr Nsereko took on NRM’s Jacob Oulanyah for the position of Deputy Speaker but lost to the latter.

An advocate of the High Court, he holds a Diploma in Legal Practice from the LDC (2007) and a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University. He also holds a Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Media and Business Studies and a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Land Policy from the University of Kent, UK.  

Before joining politics, he was active in legal practice having helped found the law firm; Nsereko, Mukalazi & Co. Advocates in 2007. He remains a partner in the law firm to date.

It is not clear whether the opposition parties are planning to field a joint candidate for Deputy Speaker or whether they will rally behind Mr Nsereko, who is an opposition leaning independent candidate.

Thomas Tayebwa, 41

Mr Tayebwa, the MP for Ruhinda North, holds two bachelor degrees; Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences, both from Makerere University.
Currently, he sits on the Committee of National Economy. He also sits on the Natural Resources Committee.  

Mr Tayebwa wants to harness in his experiences as a proprietor and manager of many private companies. Currently, he is a director of SMS Empire Limited, Wandaz Products Ltd, Gateway Associates Ltd and Cholmat Investments (based in South Sudan).

A member of the Makerere University Council, Mr Tayebwa is also the board chairperson of Bayimba Cultural Foundation. Mr Tayebwa says he wants to be the Deputy Speaker to improve the quality of debate in the House.

“We are looking at improving the quality of debate through building the capacity of MPs through annual review and assessment of members’ performances instead of leaving it to outsiders who give a scorecard,” he says.

Anita Among, 48

Formerly an iron lady of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Ms Among is finishing her first term as the Woman MP for Bukedea District.

Immediately after joining Parliament, Ms Among associated with the ruling party and also voted for the removal of the presidential age limit in December 2017. She recently got re-elected unopposed to retain her seat but this time on NRM ticket.

Currently a member of the Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ms Anita was between 2016 and 2019 the vice chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase).  Ms Among holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Master of Business Administration and a Postgraduate Diploma in Banking. She also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration.

According to the parliamentary records, she is still a Lecturer at Kampala International University and Makerere University Business School since 2006 and 2008 respectively. Her first job was manager in Centenary Bank between 1998 and 2006.

Jacob Oboth-Oboth, 50

He recently won election as the first MP for the newly created West Budama Central. He has been the MP for West Budama South in Tororo District since 2011.

Mr Oboth has had a glittering career in Parliament having chaired different committees. The current chair of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Mr Oboth has also chaired the committees of Rules, Discipline and Privileges, and Natural Resources.

He is also a serving member of the Parliamentary Business Committee.
Mr Oboth holds a Master of Laws from the University of Minnesota, USA (2007) and a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University (2001). He is also an advocate of the High Court.

Before joining politics, Mr Oboth served as acting principal State attorney/head of the Mbale Regional Office under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs from 2003 to 2010. Before that, he served as a legal assistant at Mugisha and Co. Advocates.

A member of the Uganda Law Society, he has been providing pro bono legal services to many civil society organisations.  

As chairperson of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Mr Oboth steered the MPs in the processing of the Age Limit Bill before presenting a report recommending to the House to have it passed.

Currently, he is processing the Constitutional Amendment Bill No, 2020, which is privately moved by Ndorwa East MP Wilfred Niwagaba.

“The position of Deputy Speaker is the only vacant position in Parliament at the moment. I am ready to offer myself to run for this position having chaired critical committees in Parliament,” Mr Oboth says.

Robina Rwakoojo Gureme, 57
Ms Rwakoojo (NRM) is the MP for Gomba West. Ms Rwakoojo, an advocate of the High Court, is currently a member of the Appointments Committee of Parliament. She is also a member of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.

Before venturing into politics in 2016, Ms Rwakoojo was working as commissioner in the Directorate of Civil Litigation at the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. She held this office for five years.

He has also worked as a principal state attorney and senior state attorney.
Ms Rwakoojo says: “if elected Deputy Speaker, I will work for a balanced House in the way legislation is handled. There is no need for the ruling party to be supreme in taking key decision in the House but we need to collectively do so with the Opposition and independents”  
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