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Opposition parties seek to elect LoP in a proposed Bill
Mr Richard Lumu, the Mityana South Member of Parliament
What you need to know:
- In the Bill, Mr Lumu wants the law changed to warrant the election of both the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief (Opposition) Whip.
- Mr Patrick Polly Okin Ojara, the Chua West County MP, said the Bill is a reflection of the fights among lawmakers over leadership by the National Unity Platform (NUP) party that has the most number of Opposition MPs.
- Mr Patrick Polly Okin Ojara, the Chua West County MP, said the Bill is a reflection of the fights among lawmakers over leadership by the National Unity Platform (NUP) party that has the most number of Opposition MPs.
Some Members of Parliament under parties that oppose the government are seeking to introduce a Bill to amend the Administration of Parliament Act and provide for the election of the Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
During the second day of the regional parliamentary sittings at Kaunda Ground in Gulu City, Mr Richard Lumu, the Mityana South Member of Parliament, sought leave to table the Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill, 2024.
In the Bill, Mr Lumu wants the law changed to warrant the election of both the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief (Opposition) Whip.
“Cognisant of the need to entrench democratic principles in electing a Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Chief Opposition Whip as a representative of all members of the Opposition in Parliament, be it resolved that Parliament grants me leave to introduce a Private Members Bill entitled the Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill,” Mr Lumu said.
To justify his move, Mr Lumu said: “Elections is the epitome of democracy, we elect the Speaker of Parliament, we also elect the President every five years. Therefore, there is no reason when we come to Parliament as members of the Opposition and we don’t elect our leader who is the Leader of Opposition.”
“We need an election clear in the Opposition, and it should be done by us the Opposition MPs who are about to take power,” he added.
But Mr Patrick Polly Okin Ojara, the Chua West County MP, said the Bill is a reflection of the fights among lawmakers over leadership by the National Unity Platform (NUP) party that has the most number of Opposition MPs.
According to him, the current act allows for appointing those to occupy those offices including that of the ruling government’s Chief Whips, Prime Minister and Ministers.
Ms Among also said much as the sitting was being held in Gulu, it was considered a normal plenary and that she did not see any ingredients of personal fights.
“Let’s not act in anticipation, there are no fights, the law is not made for one person. Today I am the LoP, tomorrow another person and whatever. I don’t have any problem with this issue and you even reject when it comes to the second reading.”
While section 8 of the Administration of Parliament Act provides for the election of the LoP by the party in Opposition having the greatest numerical strength in Parliament and that the other parties must be consulted, Mr Lumu said no consultations were made.
Whereas the Kitgum Municipality MP Denis Onekalit Amere said the Bill’s establishment is embedded in the spirits of personal fights and confusion, Mr Jackson Kafuuzi, the Deputy Attorney General reasoned that the Bill was in order.
“This is a special regional sitting, I see vividly personal fights being embedded in this sitting, which is well deserving, well-arranged sitting. This motion can be raised when we are back in Parliament in Kampala not at the regional level,” Mr Onekalit said.
“Article 82a of the Constitution provides for the office of the Leader of Opposition. It says under the multiparty organisation or party form of democracy, there shall be in Parliament, a Leader of Opposition. Clause 2 says Parliament shall by law prescribe how he or she is chosen and I believe (Mr) Lumu’s motion is based on that,”Mr Kafuuzi said.
Mr Kafuuzi also agreed with Ms Among who okayed the tabling of the Bill despite criticism from a section of Opposition MPs.
“The best we can do, if we are not in agreement with what the member has raised, we follow it at the committee and fail it at the committee or fail it in the House when it comes for the second reading. But we do not have the mandate to deny a member to seek leave,” Ms Among stated.
Meanwhile, Mr Michael Kakembe, the Entebbe Municipality MP, said the Bill would help to restore sanity, respect and dignity in the Opposition that is currently led by the NUP party.
“I don’t have any personal vendetta against this motion and I am convinced that this move is going to give us more unity and respect as the Opposition,” he said.
“I must participate in electing my leader as a member of the Opposition. We have seen many times in Parliament where the LoP thinks all the Opposition members belong to his party, in this case, could be FDC, and all the Opposition would see themselves as FDC because we did not participate in electing them.”
Ms Among, however, asked the Clerk to Parliament to ensure the Bill is prepared for its first reading after MPs granted Mr Lumu leave to present it to the House.
UGANDA’S OPPOSITION
In Uganda, there are five Opposition parties with lawmakers in the House including the Democratic Party (DP), National Unity Platform (NUP); Forum for Democratic Change (FDC); Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) and Peoples Progressive Party (PPP).
A LoP, who is accorded the status of a Cabinet minister, is elected by the party in Opposition that has the most number of MPs, according to the Administration of Parliament Act.
However, on the X handle of the Office of the LoP, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi yesterday said: “We have never been afraid of any democratic process. But clearly, this is because of the pressure that as a team we have been exerting and we continue to exert and we shall not stop…We are not going to stop playing our cardinal role of holding government accountable, speaking up against corruption, bad governance and all the ills.’’
