KAMPALA – Jacob Oulanyah has won the tight Speakership race.
Oulanyah who was taking on his former boss Rebecca Kadaga and FDC’s Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has won with 310 votes.
Oulanyah, the NRM’s only candidate was declared winner by the Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo who is presiding over the function held at Kololo Independence Ground where the voting process was done.
Kadaga who became second has got a total vote of 197. There were two invalid votes.
It should be known that the Kamuli District woman MP Kadaga decided to contest Independently for the 11th parliament speakership race despite losing party candidacy.
Her party’s top organ, the Central Executive Committee (CEC) selected her former Deputy Speaker Oulanyah as its candidate for the seat.
The selection that saw Kadaga losing majority vote was held at State House Entebbe on Sunday.
Speaking to the press after losing the selection, Kadaga noticed that she was not ready to bow out of the race.
“Fellow Ugandans, I have come to inform the people of Uganda that my party has opted not to give me the party flag for Speaker of Parliament. I have therefore decided to run as an independent,” said Kadaga.
According to her, there has been many attempts to eject her from the party leadership.
“During the CEC elections last year there was tremendous State interference and intimidation but I won the contest of CEC national vice chair,” she said on Sunday evening.
“Today I was not given an opportunity to present myself to the electorates and the major reason I have been pushed out is because of speaking on the issues of the ordinary people. I want to tell you that I will continue speaking on those issues.”
She said, “Despite the constitutional provisions, the position of the women has been relegated. I want to stand up for the rights of those who are still marginalized. I’m appealing to the people of Uganda to ask their representatives in parliament to do the needful.”
Ssemujju managed to scoop out only 15 votes.
