The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has said that he does not see any problem with his absence as chair of the plenary, saying he will resume when asked to do so.
Oulanyah was speaking to the press about his candidature for the position of the NRM Regional Vice Chairperson Northern Region, when he was asked by journalists about his working relationship with the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
He last chaired the house on February 4th and is not sure when he might resume chairing the house. Kadaga has steered the house in all this COVID-19 lockdown period, while Oulanyah has remained in his office and constituency.
Oulanyah told journalists that as far as he is concerned, he sees no problem not having chaired the house since February saying he is usually delegated in the absence of the Speaker of Parliament, and this is also because all of them are around because of the lockdown.
The Deputy Speaker also says that as far as he knows, there is no rift between him and the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, except for the last incidence when he had to walk to the floor of Parliament to rectify a matter of rules of procedure.
He said as of now, he is not doing anything to leverage himself to be speaker, adding that there is currently no vacancy for the Speaker of Parliament which will be in the next Parliament in May 2021.
In the aftermath of the 2016 General Elections, Oulanyah sought to take on the Speakership job but was asked by the party to grant Kadaga another term, and this has led to continued fights in the legislature.
The two reportedly had agreed to chair the house in intervals, with one chairing for two weeks followed by the other, while one was also supposed to conclude on the processes he or she started.
********
URN
I have been reading the demeanor and the body language of The Speaker Kadaaga, and I can say, it is been nothing else other than combative since the issue of COVID-19 money came into public domain.
I know it is painful to have a boss who lacks courtesy and who is always out to domineer and embarrass a subordinate. But take hear Jacob. Given your age, and your illustrious career, you have a bright future ahead of you. Stay calm, and I know you can resist provocation. Keep it that way. God be with you now and always.