KAMPALA – The Forum for Democratic Change-FDC has officially announced the Kira Municipality member of Parliament Ibrahim Semujju Nganda as their flag bearer for the position of Speaker of the forth coming Parliament.
The party Chairman Waswa Biriggwa made the announcement today at the party offices in Najjanankumbi Kampala. He says the 11th Parliament needs a dynamic and visionary leader to steer it to make better laws to benefit the people of Uganda.
Biriggwa says Ssemujju has proved that he can serve in the position of the Speaker of Parliament, looking at his track record as an active member of parliament and the opposition chief whip in Parliament over the years.
He says the party National Executive Committee unanimously agreed to have Semujju stands for the position and be deputized by Counsel Yusuf Nsibambi, the MP Elect for Mawokota South.
Biriggwa says the FDC cannot say anything bad about the current leadership but that it is time for change. He urged all members of the forthcoming Parliament including those from the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM to rally behind their two members for a dynamic and visionary leadership.
The head of the party Electoral Commission Boniface Toterebuka says Ssemujju was approved because of his experience as a legislator and plausible service.
Upon revealing his intention to stand for the position, Semujju early in March wrote to all parties with representation in Parliament seeking their support.
Titerebuka says Semujju understands how the house works because of his experience as a Parliamentary reporter for more than ten years and a later a legislator for two terms.
Parliment shall sit to vote on the two possitions after swearing in of the 11th Parliament in May.
So far, there are four Parliamentarians who have expressed interest in the position of the Speaker of Parliament. These are, the current Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah both from the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM, FDC’s Ibrahim Semujju Nganda who announced his intentions early last month and Rakai district woman MP Juliet Kinyamatama.
So far, Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko is interested in the position of deputy speaker, a position he once stood for but lost to Oulanyah. FDC’s Nsibambi is said to be in talks with the National Unity Platform-NUP to form an alliance on the position.
FDC lost its position as the dominant opposition political party in Parliament to National Unity Platform-NUP. The NUP spokesperson and Nakawa West MP Elect Joel Sennyonyi says they have constituted a committee to discuss their position on the two positions.