MP William Nokrach (Left) during a recent graduation

The elected Members of Parliament representing people with disabilities, William Nokrach,  for northern Uganda and Hood Katuramu for western Uganda have this afternoon taken oath.

It  should be noted that last month court nullified the election of both MPs due to electoral malpractices and fresh elections conducted which the 2 won again.

The oath was administered by both the Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige and witnessed by the Speaker, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, who presented the MPs with a copy of the constitution and rules of procedure of Parliament

The MPs after swearing in said that there main aim is to lobby for implementation of laws that address issues that affect people with disabilities.

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Some MPs say that it’s necessary to have more deputy speakers although other say that having more than one deputy speaker is a waste of resources.
This comes after last week’s plenary was pushed to this week to allow the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy, Jacob Oulanyah to attend the Uganda North America Association (UNAA) meeting currently on-going in the United States.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga

The member of parliament for Pallisa County, Jacob Richards Opolot says that in future parliament has to approve more deputy speakers so that parliament’s work is interrupted.

However,MPs including; Anna Maria Nakabirwa, Kyankwazi district, Peter Sematimba,Busiro South,Bernard Atiku,Yivu  and Paula Turyahikayo Rubabo, argue that although there was confusion for MPs to attend to plenary because of  both speakers being absent, it does not warrant having more deputy speakers because it would be a waste of tax payers money.

In the 9th parliament civil society and some members of parliament had wanted to move a constitutional amendment to have more than one deputy speaker envisaging a situation when both the speaker and her deputy could be unavailable for chairing parliament and that the gap can be filled by  the second deputy speaker  to chair the session.

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Over 16000 cooperatives under Uganda cooperatives savings and credit union  today petitioned the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga demanding for the revival  of cooperatives in the country.  Among key issues these demanded included a fully funded ministry for cooperatives that will be addressing their demands, functional structures with qualified staff from sub county to National level, institution of a cooperative fund to support cooperators and institution of a cooperative regulatory Authority that will be responsible for initiating the policies that will guide and run cooperatives, revival of the cooperative bank among many other demands.

Speaking on behalf of the team that presented the petition to the speaker, Twaha Kyaka, who is  the  Business Development Manager  Uganda Cooperatives Savings and credit Union and Jane Amuge business development advisor  of Uhuru Institute called upon all the 5 heads of state of the East African Community to assent to the cooperative societies Bill 2014 that was passed by EALA as this will see cooperative movement take advantage of the opportunities in the region.

On recieving this petition, the speaker of parliament  Rebecca Kadaga notes that it’s a good idea to wake up/ revive  all the cooperative unions in every part of the country where they existed given the developmental role they played amongst members. She assured the petitioners that all their concerns are to be looked into by the 10th parliament though she asked them to remain patient as all the demands can not be fulfilled at once.

The petition has been signed by over 1000 cooperators.

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Kadaga at the shrine

Workers Member of Parliament Dr.Sam Lyomoki has asked the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga to abandon devil worshiping. This as the people and religious leaders continue to question Rebecca Kadaga’s faith when she visited the shrine to pay homage to her ancestors and thank them for her victory for the speakership seat in the 10th parliament.

Lyomoki says that the ritual she carried out is demonic which requires her to repent. He says that people at all levels should pray for three days requesting God to make Ugandan leaders worshiping devils to repent of such satanic actions. He says that many people  go to witchcraft to seek powers that will force the appointing authority to name them as ministers or other appointments.

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Speaker Kadaga and a delegation going to the shrine. Photo: New Vision

Like many Ugandans, Christians in the Church of Uganda prayed for Hon. Rebecca Kadaga in her re-election campaign for MP and also for her election as Speaker of Parliament. We rejoiced when the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ opened both doors for her to serve the people of Uganda again. Like many, we were, therefore, confused by the reports of her visiting her ancestral shrine to give thanks for her re-election.

We value our ancestors because we are connected to them by the relationship we have. But, we must always trust only in God. We no longer need to go through the spirits of the dead because Jesus is our hope and protector. He alone is the way, the truth and the life, as Jesus says in John 14:6.

The Church of Uganda condemns syncretism and urges her Bishops and clergy to use this opportunity to proclaim the sufficiency of Christ crucified to meet all our needs, and to work pastorally with Christians to apply this glorious truth practically in their lives.

As we approach the commemoration of the Ugandan Martyrs on 3rd June, we are challenged by the faithfulness, commitment, and witness of these youth. Their willingness to renounce the “world, the flesh, and the devil” and to joyfully embrace the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ, even unto death, is a model for how we should all understand living a life with a single-minded focus on Jesus as the only Saviour and only Lord. There is a cost to discipleship and a great reward in following Christ.

We appeal to all Christians in the Church of Uganda, especially those serving in prominent positions in government and business, to uphold Paul’s exhortation to ‘live a life worthy of the calling you have received’ (Ephesians 4:1), to live ‘above reproach’ (1 Timothy 3:2), and to not cause others to ‘stumble’ (1 Corinthians 10:32).

Alison L. Barfoot (Rev. Canon Dr.)
Office of Communications
Church of Uganda
P.O. Box 14123
Kampala
UGANDA
Phone: +256 782 321 027
E-mail:  COUNews@gmail.com
www.churchofuganda.org

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West Budama south MP Jacob Oboth challenged the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah to forge a way of harmonizing their relations if they are to succeed in their new assignments as given to them by parliamentarians. Oboth who stood for deputy speakership but withdrew to allow the status quo as requested by NRM CEC, says the two officials need to learn a lesson from their campaigns and start working towards unity.

Oboth who has been chairing the parliamentary committee on rules, disciplines and privileges noted that if the two do not have team work, they will be working towards their own downfall. He says now that elections are over and MPs have already been sworn-in, the public wants services as pledged by all those who were seeking for votes during campaigns and therefore parliament must ensure that government programs are given priority.

Kadaga and Oulanyah have not been in good  relations which forced Oulanyah to stand for speakership though he later bowed out after CEC resolved to maintain the status quo.

The status quo has remained for the leadership of parliament as the speaker Rebbeca Kadaga and deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah retained in their seat. Kadaga went through unopposed as Jacob Oulanyah won with 300 votes against Mohammed Nsereko who got 115 votes out of 416 MPs participated in voting and 1 invalid vote. 11 members of parliament did not turn up for voting the speaker and deputy speaker. The elections were conducted as the president was watching on in fear that there could have been a change of heart by NRM members of parliament to shun NRM candidate for the deputy speaker and vote Mohammed Nsereko.

After winning the deputy Speaker post, Jacob Oulanyah pledged to work with the speaker Kadaga and added that the contest for deputy speakership humbled him and taught him humility. Mohammed Nsereko while accepting the defeat said that there will be no independent parliament when members of parliament are poorly paid.

While speaking soon after the handover of instruments of power to the deputy speaker President Yoweri Museveni said that parliament has passed the test, especially the NRM Members of Parliament, who would have gone for another candidate and leaving out the party candidate. He denied claims that the deputy speaker Oulanyah is a puppet and said that he had to attend today’s meeting because he thought that since this parliament is full of younger legislators, like that of 1962, they would be misguided and repeat the mistakes of the past which would cause the parliament and government to collapse. He defended giving NRM members of parliament 5 million each, saying that it was not corruption but the money was given to them to cope up with the problems of the society and he vowed to fight corruption in the term of office.

The Member of Parliament for Ntenjeru north Amos Lugolobi says that the president should walk the talk against corruption. The member of parliament of parliament for Bukomansimbi south county Deogratias Kiyingi says that method used for  the election of the deputy speaker should be borrowed and used in other elections because it was free and fair.

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Mohammed Nsereko

Kampala central MP Mohammed Nsereko says he is ready to tussle it out with deputy speaker Jacob Oulanyah following the decision by the NRM central executive committee to have him stand for deputy speaker in the 10th parliament. Nsereko says although Oulanyah has been a deputy speaker in the 9th parliament he is not afraid of him because he is a fellow MP like him. Nsereko adds that he has also stepped up his campaigns by talking with each and every voter.

The central executive committee of NRM yesterday asked other members of NRM who are aspiring for deputy speaker to step down for Oulanyah.

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A group of 16 MPs from Karamoja led by Mathenico Member of Parliament John Baptist Lokii said that they want Kadaga voted again as speaker of the next parliament since she has visited their sub region twice compared to former speakers. Karamoja MPs said that Kadaga has been instrumental in advocating for allocation of funds to the region to cater for the famine situation in relation to food relief.

They also said that she championed the campaign in the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM), the practice which has reduced in this subregion. The MPs said that Kadaga should be voted as the next speaker since she is one of the role models for the girl child in the country.

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Mohammed Nsereko says that he will look for votes from unique majority members of parliament all over the political parties and independents to make a number of 300 members of parliament to vote him out of the 458 members of parliament in the 10th parliament. He is intending to release a taskforce of 65 members of parliament to roll out his campaign to every member of parliament seeking his vote, though currently he is claiming having 91 one members of parliament willing to give him their vote for the post of the deputy speaker.

Another independent member of parliament from West Budama south Oboth Oboth says that he is aspiring for this seat since the current deputy speaker is contesting for the post of the speaker. He says that he is a better choice for the deputy speaker slot since he knows rules of parliament, has a legal mind and has chaired the rules and privileges committee of parliament. He notes that he has written to all political parties with members of parliament asking them to give him support.

The two independents MPs will wait for another person from NRM primaries who include David Bahati, Jovah Kamateka, Denis Bua and Monica Amoding to tussle out with for this hotly contested seat.

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