Mityana South Member of Parliament Richard Lumu has revealed a new clause seeking to have three candidates compete for the Leader of Opposition slot to be added in his controversial Prosed Amendment Bill – The Administration of Parliament Bill 2024, which among others; seeks to have the leader of the Opposition elected by opposition MP’s.
He made the revelation earlier today at Parliament while defending his Proposed Bill.
“I believe this will help to unite the opposition. Everyone will have confidence in their candidate rather than the current status where they just bring someone for us.” He noted.
Last week, the legislator shocked the country when he tabled a motion seeking leave of Parliament to introduce a Private Members Bill allowing all opposition members to elect the Leader of Opposition, during the Regional Plenary Sessions at Kaunda Playgrounds in Gulu City.
Lumu believes the proposals are essential for the growth and development of the country and emphasize they’re not for personal gain as many perceived them.
“I am looking at the bigger picture here which is uniting the opposition for the better of our country. This is the reason why I want us to elect him/her. He/she should be close to the people and understand them better”. He explained.
Currently, the Leader of opposition is selected by the leading opposition Party, but Lumu argues that this process lacks transparency and competitiveness. Under the proposed amendment, the opposition caucus would nominate three candidates for the position of Leader of Opposition, who would then compete in a secret ballot.
Lumu is also proposing vetting for Shadow Cabinet Ministers to ensure accountability arguing that, the current lack of scrutiny for Shadow Cabinet ministers undermines the effectiveness of the opposition in holding the government accountable.
Under the proposed amendment, Shadow Cabinet Ministers would face a vetting process similar to that of Cabinet Ministers, including scrutiny of their qualifications, integrity, and potential conflict of interest.
The proposals have received mixed reactions from Mp’s, critics and Ugandans at large, with some supporting the move as a step towards greater inclusivity and others opposing it as a potential threat to the ruling party’s dominance.
Report compiled by Teddy Namayanja. She’s a staff writer at SML News UG passionate about politics and human rights.