The Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has revealed that the president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will make a final decision on when the new MPs will convene to elect the next Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 11th House.
The five year term of the 10th Parliament will be dissolved today (evening) after the expiry of Government ahead of swearing in of Kaguta Museveni tomorrow.
Last month, the Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda petitioned Parliamentary commission through the office of the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga asking for postponing of the election of the speaker and deputy speaker of the 11th parliament.
The election of the speaker and deputy speaker of parliament was slated to take place on 21st May, a week after the swearing in of the MPs.
“The president is supposed to assign a day for the first sitting of parliament. So we had written to president Museveni and proposed 21st May but he has not responded,” Kadaga said.
According to article 84 (4) of this Constitution, no business shall be transacted in Parliament other than an election to the office of Speaker at any time that office is vacant.
In tandem article 95 (1) gives powers to the President, by proclamation, to appoint the place and a date not beyond seven days after the expiry of the term of Parliament or of the extended period, as the case may be, for the first sitting of the new Parliament. The MP elects will be sworn in from 17th to 29th May.
The hotly contested speakership race is between Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah. Others contesting for the office of the speaker of parliament include; Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Semujju Nganda and Rakai District Woman MP Juliet Kinyamatama.
MPs vying for the office of the deputy speaker include; Gomba West MP Robina Rwakoojo, West Budama North MP Jacob Oboth-Oboth, Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among, Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko, Ruhinda North MP Thomas Tayebwa, Theodore Ssekikubo, the Lwemiyaga County MP and State Minister for Finance David Bahati.
The deputy and Speaker of Parliament is mandated to carry out a number of duties, and key among them include presiding at any sitting of the House, preserving order and decorum in the House and making pronouncements on questions of order and practice.
