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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has awarded Rebecca Kadaga for her service during her tenure as Speaker.
Jane Kibirige, the Clerk to Parliament presented the award to Kadaga on Thursday on behalf of the House administration. The event took place in Kadaga’s new office as Kamuli Woman MP at the Kampala Kingdom building.
Kibirige said that the award to former Speaker was a sign of appreciation for her service in the past year as an MP and also for heading the Institution as Speaker for the last ten years.
The Clerk to Parliament also said that the award has been presented to other leaders that include former Leader of Opposition Betty Aol Ocan. Kibirige also says that other leaders like former Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, former Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa are scheduled to receive the award.
Speaking to journalists after receiving the award, Kadaga described the gesture as surprising. She however declined to speak about her legacy.
Regarding her new position as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs, Kadaga said she would push for the establishment of the Central East African Bank to enable increased integration of the East African Community (EAC).
She explained that she is focused on finding land on which the Bank can be established for the monetary union of the East Africans. Kadaga added that as other stakeholders in the EAC integration concentrate on other pillars such as Political Federation which she said is being pushed by Amos Wako, the former Attorney General of Kenya and former Chief Justice of Uganda Benjamin Odoki, her tenure will be focused on a single currency for the community.
Kadaga, a lawyer, started her service in 1989 as Kamuli Woman MP. She served as the Speaker of the Ninth and Tenth Parliament from 19th May 2011 to 21 May 2021, when she lost an election for Eleventh Parliament Speaker position to Omoro County MP Jacob Oulanyah.
She is the first woman to be elected Speaker in the history of the Parliament and succeeded Edward Ssekandi, who served as Speaker from 2001 to 2011. Before serving as Speaker, Kadaga served under Ssekandi as Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
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