The fallout over the Shs10 billion that MPs controversially allocated themselves has triggered a fight by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga against her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah.
Forced against the wall by public consternation, amplified by acerbic criticism from President Museveni, Speaker Kadaga has found herself with no allies, forcing her to act like a bull in a China shop.
After Speaker Kadaga colluded with Budget Committee Chairman Amos Lugoloobi to smuggle in the Shs10b for Parliament,MPs Gerald Karuhanga and Jonathan Odur rushed to Court, which issued an order against the payment.
The Court order was welcomed by an already angry public with further open support from President Museveni who branded the actions of Speaker Kadaga and MPs “morally reprehensible”.
With Kadaga forced against the wall,she has launched wild attacks on all and sundry;the executive, judiciary and the media.
Speaker Kadaga has, however,saved her most lethal attacks for Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
During a motion of displeasure against President Museveni last week,Ms Kadaga allowed MP Maurice Kibalya to include in a clause condemning the Deputy Speaker.
The clause to condemn the Deputy Speaker was on grounds that Mr Oulanyah is a member of the Parliament Commission and had therefore stabbed it in the back by publicly returning the Shs20 million,as directed by Court.
However,that ground falls flat as Finance Minister Matia Kasaija,who is also a member of the Parliament Commission, also returned the money.
While handing over the Shs20 million to the Masindi district taskforce,Kasaija said had he been present in Parliament when the Shs10 billion was smuggled in the Supplementary Budget,he would have opposed it.
So why has Ms Kadaga singled out Deputy Speaker Oulanyah for attack?
Simple;the race for Speaker of the 11th Parliament is on.
Ms Kadaga should however be cautious because her fight against Oulanyah may send her crashing.
It should be recalled that in the 2016 race for Speaker,Ms Kadaga was facing an onslaught from Oulanyah until she was saved by President Museveni.
The NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) was in the process of endorsing Oulanyah for Speaker until President Museveni begged the party top organ to give her a second and last term,just like her predecessor Edward Ssekandi.
Being the loyal cadre that he is,Mr Oulanyah conceded and allowed the Kamuli Woman MP to be given a last and second chance. But Ms Kadaga has chose to mess up her second and last term.
She has clashed with senior Ministers,the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and the President.
Ms Kadaga’s frenzied support of the Shs10 billion has made her Public Enemy Number One, making her unpopular enough to be swept aside by President Museveni.
Her role in the infighting over the Kyabazingaship has also made her indispensable in the Busoga sub-region, leaving her with no bastion.
Ms Kadaga’s political muscle is also up in the air, which explains why she has been contesting on affirmative action for the past five years.
Abandoned by all her allies,Ms Kadaga is now walking on eggshells,thus her desperacy.
With the race for Speaker for 2021 having just started,Ms Kadaga is already wrong-footed, putting Mr Oulanyah in pole-position.
