Summary:
- Although the Speaker did not cite any legal provision mandating political parties to seek her approval before assigning roles to independent MPs, several independent MPs currently hold leadership positions in Committees and the Shadow Cabinet.Â
KAMPALA: The Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, the Rt Hon Anitah Annet Among, has issued a directive requiring all political parties in Uganda to seek her approval before assigning independent Members of Parliament any responsibilities.
In her capacity as the Dean of Independents in Parliament, she emphasized the necessity of consulting her before independent MPs are coopted into any political party duties.
“Next time I want to ask the parties, when you assign responsibilities to my independents, you must obtain permission from the Dean of Independents, who is the Speaker,” Among stated.
Although the Speaker did not cite any legal provision mandating political parties to seek her approval before assigning roles to independent MPs, several independent MPs currently hold leadership positions in Committees and the Shadow Cabinet. This includes the Ndorwa East Member of Parliament, Wilfred Niwagaba, who serves as the Shadow Attorney General.
The Speaker’s remarks were prompted by the decision of the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, to assign Wilfred Niwagaba to represent him during a recent plenary sitting. The Speaker disagreed with this decision, citing Ssenyonyi’s failure to consult her beforehand.
Niwagaba revealed that the Leader of the Opposition had requested him to express dissatisfaction with the abrupt scheduling of the plenary sitting, as the Speaker had previously communicated that the House was slated to convene on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. This discrepancy likely explains the absence of the majority of Opposition MPs during the recent plenary sitting.
“Have you been assigned as a member of the Opposition or as my independent member? Because I am your Dean, and I wasn’t consulted on whether I should release my representative. You are my representative, and I wasn’t consulted on whether my independent should serve as Leader of the Opposition,” remarked Anitah Among.
