Government has granted leave to Democratic Party’s (DP) Richard Lumu, the Mityana County Member of Parliament, seeking to introduce a Private Members Bill allowing all opposition members to elect the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in Parliament.
Section 8 Cap 272 of the Administration of Parliament Act, provides for the election of the Leader of Opposition by the party in opposition having the greatest numerical strength in Parliament.
Lumu tabled the motion entitled The Administration of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2024 earlier today during the regional plenary session of Kaunda playgrounds in Gulu City.
The legislator is also seeking revision in the process of electing the Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament.
“Election is a pillar of democracy yet the current legal framework in Parliament doesn’t permit the participation of the opposition members in Parliament in their governance through the election of their leader”. He noted.
Lumu highlighted that every five years in Uganda, elections for presidency and other posts are conducted wondering why the same election couldn’t be done for the Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
He added that even the position of the Pope, the highest position in the Catholic Church is elected.
“I am concerned about how the Leader of Opposition in Parliament is elected. The process excludes other opposition political parties represented in Parliament, yet a Leader of Opposition superintends to all members of of the opposition in Parliament”. He said.
Nation Unity Platform’s (NUP) Micheal Kakembo, Entebbe Municipality MP seconded the motion.
“I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt Right Honorable Speaker and colleagues, that this move is going to give us more unity as opposition and respect for each other. Let us vote for our leader. What’s wrong with that? I am standing here to second this motion, Right Honorable Speaker in good faith”. He said.
Phillip Okin Ojara, Chua West Member of Parliament however seemed to disagree. He questioned the motive, the timing and the spirit within which the motion has been presented.
“When we look at the entire structure of Parliament, we have not had even a situation, for example in Uganda where the ruling government elects their party chief, where we have the PM elected nor ministers. So, this motion he’s trying to present to us the Members of Parliament is very dangerous”. He said.
The Speaker of Parliament Annita Among defended the motion saying the Administration of the Parliament Act quoted by Lumu is not entrenched adding that Lumu is just seeking leave which legislators don’t have the mandate to deny.
“The best we can do, if we are not in agreement with what the Honorable Member is saying, we follow this to the committee and fail it at the committee or fail it in the house when it comes for the second reading.
Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi in his guidance said the legislator was within his right adding that should the Bill see light of day, then the fate of Senyonyi’s tenure will entirely be up to the house to decide.
“Once the Bill is passed, then only Parliament will decide whether he stays as Leader of Opposition or a new election is conducted”. He said.
Embattled National Unity Platform’s (NUP) Nakawa West Constituency legislator Joel Ssenyonyi is currently holding the position of LOP in Parliament, a job he took on after Mathias Mpuuga, the Nyendo-Mukungwe Divison legislator, a newly created Constituency following the elevation of Masaka Municipality into a city was fired by NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu.
Ssenyonyi was appointed Leader of Opposition in Parliament on December 22, 2024 and assumed office on 9 January 2024.
He won the Nakawa West Constituency seat in the 2020 General Elections after defeating NRM’s Margaret Zziwa Nantongo.
The regional plenary sittings in Gulu at Kaunda playgrounds have ended today.
Report compiled by Teddy Namayanja. She’s a staff writer at SML News UG passionate about politics and human rights.