CEC asks NRM members to express interest for speakership
In this photo, the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah, all of the 10th parliament are seen during past legislative plenaries. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- The meeting also agreed to extend by six more months- the term of the party structures from the grassroots to top management which was expected to expire on May 20.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) top organ yesterday asked its party members interested in contesting in Parliament’s Speaker and deputy Speaker race to express their interest in writing to the party’s electoral commission.
Sources who attended the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting at State House Entebbe, but who requested for anonymity to speak freely, said they didn’t want to limit any person with the party’s interests but thinks has the potential to lead the 11th Parliament.
It’s from those who will have submitted their interest by May 21 that CEC will sit again a day later to pick the best candidate for each of the positions to be presented before the caucus that plans to meet on May 23.
Parliament officially sits on Monday May 24 to elect a Speaker and the deputy.
According to the source, if a consensus is not reached on Saturday, they will be forced to subject the names to a vote. In the meantime, the guidelines for the elections are being finalised although they will not apply to local councils since their elections started yesterday.
“We have agreed we put guidelines in case we are to put elections for our people. We have said we will see how to manage local governments since they have been overtaken by events. Local governments looked for speakers yesterday and today. But for Speaker of Parliament, those who are interested, let them express interest and CEC will vet on May 22 with the view of harmonizing and fielding one speaker and one deputy speaker,” the source, who attended the meeting, said.
NRM party chairman President Museveni chaired the meeting which, according to sources, was fully attended except for Crispus Kiyonga who missed with an apology. “But should there be challenges along the way, we can allow voting in the party to get a party candidate. But it’s our strong conviction that we get consensus and field one person for each of the positions,” another source added.
The meeting also agreed to extend by six more months- the term of the party structures from the grassroots to top management which was expected to expire on May 20. The source added that their members were discouraged from campaigning.
