Speaker Oulanyah: Let’s build bridges

Omoro County MP Jacob Oulanyah, who was deputy speaker of the 10th Parliament, yesterday secured a landslide win as Uganda’s next Speaker of Parliament. In a victory speech, he exhorted for unity, respect and decorum among members during legislative debate. We reproduce a slightly edited version of the speech below. 

“I address you all with great humility. I thank God almighty for His grace and the gift of life that has enabled me to witness this day.

I congratulate you, Honourable Members on your election and thank the people of Uganda for the trust they have all put in you. I thank you for the confidence you have put in me. l can only promise to do my best to deserve your trust and confidence.

I thank my party, National Resistance Movement (NRM), for nominating me and thank the people of Omoro County without whom, this day would not have been possible.

This election has been particularly challenging. As a result, expectations are high, fears and uncertainties exist; but together, we should build bridges, mend relationship, re-build friendship and replace despair with hope. I pledge to provide leadership through this; and walk to talk.

We are stronger together.

This Parliament has the power, under Article 79(1) of the Constitution, to make laws on any matter for the peace, order, development and good governance of Uganda.

There is no question that my role as Speaker will be to execute with outmost diligence the mandate given to me and the Deputy Speaker by the Constitution and the responsibility that comes with it to preside over the August House for the protection of the national interest, and improvement of the service delivery systems for the benefit of our people. This standard should apply to all of us …

To achieve this, I strongly believe we will need to adopt some guiding principles on how to effectively deliver on the bigger purpose of Parliament in its service to the people. The declared mission for us at this moment as the 11th Parliament, and in line with Vision 2040, is to deliver Uganda to middle-income status.

Every generation has its mission; it can either fulfil it or betray it. We are the generation of parliamentarians chosen by God and elected by the people of Uganda and given this task. This Parliament, like all parliaments around the world, is the highest legal forum. It is tasked with the responsibility of approving laws, policies and budgets meant for the implementation of this mission.

I, therefore, humbly suggest some method of work, which I found extremely useful in the execution of my previous [responsibility].

1. Facing facts: We should agree, from the outset, that we will lay facts on the table and use them as a reference point when expressing sometimes divergent opinions. We must apply an evidence-based process of decision-making.

2. Reason as a guiding principle: We should agree that we will endeavour to use reason and sound logic ... This will enable us to derive the correct interpretation from agreed facts. Somebody said, we should learn to sharpen our arguments rather than our voices.

3. Tolerance and mutual [respect]: [We] should agree that no view will be suppressed. All views will be received with tolerance and given fair treatment based on known facts and reason. We must pledge to overrule intolerance.

4. Harmony: We should agree that monumental as the task before us is and will always be, it is still important that we adopt a collegial approach and debate in such a manner that would bring our collective wisdom to bear on the problems presented before us.

The spirit of harmony should and will keep us conscious that the people did not give the task to any individual among us, but rather to the August House as a whole. Therefore, we have a collective responsibility to work together harmoniously.

National interests above self and party. In one’s lifetime, one can change party affiliation, but it is unusual and indeed unlikely that one would change nationality or citizenship. We, therefore, must resolve from the outset that our supreme guiding star, unchanging like the true North of Magnet, would be the enduring interest of the people of Uganda.

As individuals we have interest and even as members of political parties, we are party to partisan positions. These interests we should find occasion to declare boldly before this House and its committees, and when decision time comes, we must measure them alongside the national interest.

Often, we will find that the national interest rings true and all of us, without exception, will face moments when we will have to abandon strongly held partisan positions when the bright light of national interest is shone.

In short, our work will enable us to learn more about and from each other. Prejudice will be abandoned as we discover how much we all care about our country and our people.

Convictions will be entrenched as we find new reasons to work together. None of us will claim not to have learnt something new in the course of our work.

I can say, without any fear of contradiction whatsoever, that whether you agree with an opinion of any individual member or not, you will find that you are all women and men of conviction, determined to make a difference in the lives of the people of this country.

You will work long hours; at night and sometimes even on weekends. You will listen to sometimes highly offensive viewpoints. You will even endure threats of lawsuits and other veiled threats.

I can only say that I feel greatly humbled to be called your Speaker and to be in harmony with the Deputy Speaker you are about to elect and leaders of House committees.

I hope and pray that the guidance and decision, I will have the opportunity to make in the next five years will make me truly deserve the overwhelming confidence you showed in electing me Speaker of this 11th Parliament.

I invite you honourable members to pick a leaf from the statement I have made and consider adopting these methods of work.

When this happens, when we accept that facts, reason, tolerance and mutual respect to shape our actions, harmony, consensus, and legitimacy are bound to be the inevitable results.

Our people will delight in our hand work. They will refer to us no longer as mere politicians, but rather as true leaders and patriots.

Thank you again and God bless you all!

For God and my country.”