NRM CEC to determine fate of speakership race next week in Kyankwanzi

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) which is the top organ of the ruling National Resistance Movement will next week meet to discuss the fate of the speakership race, the Nile Post has learnt.

The three week retreat for the newly elected NRM Members of Parliament is set to end on April 29 and according to impeccable sources at Kyankwanzi, the top organ of the ruling party will next week sit to determine the fate of the speakership race.

“The CEC meeting for speakership race is expected here next week,” the source told this website on Thursday.

Background

In a stormy meeting called to mend differences between Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah last month, President Museveni put a halt to the campaigns for the speakership and deputy speaker positions within the ruling party.

Museveni, as the national chairman for the NRM  said the contest for speakership had degenerated into an unparliamentary  style that was putting the ruling party into bad light.

He consequently directed that the Central Executive Committee of the party would decide the next course of action for both the speakership and deputy speakership races.

Candidates were therefore stopped from carrying out campaigns.

Following the heated meeting, President Museveni directed that all campaigns by the NRM candidates are suspended for the position of speaker and deputy speaker.

Kyankwanzi

At the National Leadership Institute whereas campaigns were stopped, the Nile Post has learnt that Jacob Oulanyah has quietly tried to woo the newly elected legislators to support his bid.

Whereas his campaigns are clandestine, Oulanyah has appeared at Kyankwanzi twice, including during the official opening ceremony where he received a thunderous clapping when his name was mentioned by the party Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba among the CEC members present for the function.

However, Kadaga who has not made any physical appearance at Kyankwanzi yet is expected to be in attendance at President Museveni meets newly elected MPs from Busoga.

The race

Kadaga, who has been speaker for 10 years, faces stiff competition for the position from Oulanyah who has been deputy for 10 years.

Both candidates  have for a number of years been in a cold war that became pronounced in 2013 when the Omoro County MP claimed on a radio talk show that he was always being set up by Kadaga to oversee debate on controversial matters.

Whereas Kadaga has previously said she will be speaker, come May 20, Oulanyah has also insisted that this is his time to steer affairs in the August House.

It has openly been said that the CEC supports Oulanyah’s candidature after an alleged 2016 decision but, Kadaga has dismissed the claims, saying no member of the top party organ doesn’t support her bid.

The campaigns turned ugly with members from each camp trading accusations against the other, forcing the NRM Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba to ask both camps to cease fire.

It is therefore expected that the NRM’s Central Executive Committee which has been camped in Kyankwanzi for more than two weeks now will next week decide who the party will front for the position of speaker.

Whoever the ruling NRM party endorses will have to tussle it out with others including Forum for Democratic Change's Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Rakai District Woman MP, Juliet Kinyamatama and Bukoto Central’s Engineer Richard Sebamala(DP) who have all shown interest in becoming the next speaker of Parliament.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2021/04/22/nrm-retreat-oulanyah-tries-to-quietly-woo-mps-as-kadaga-waits-make-her-pitch/