MPs who want position of Speaker ring-faced for Northern Uganda should go to hell - Gov’t chief whip

Government chief whip Thomas Tayebwa has said that the position of the Speaker of Parliament can not be ring-faced any specific region.

Tayebwa, while answering a question from a journalist on Wednesday, said that late Oulanyah was not elected Speaker because he was from Acholi but on the basis of merit.

The MP was responding to a question from journalists who asked him to comment a request by MPs that  the Speakership be ring-fenced for northern Uganda.

“Oulanyah was not just a northerner, he was a nationalist and I think he would curse anyone who say, ring-face this position for northern Uganda,” Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa noted that most of the supporters whose votes got Oulanyah into office did not actually come from northern Uganda.

“His biggest support was from other regions, I have seen people who are shedding even crocodile tears, it is very unfortunate,” Tayebwa said.

“These are voices of doom, and they should be condemned. We are nationalists, we know they are mourning, but that is not how you should mourn,” he added.

Tayebwa stressed that ring-fencing a leadership position might set a precedent, where each region might want to have the position they hold limited for only their people.

““It means that when His Excellency goes, westerners will demand to ring-fence the position of President for westerners. I urge colleagues that if your argument is that someone should be voted because he is from northern Uganda, go to hell,” he added.

Tayebwa’s comments come at a backdrop of a petition from the Acholi, Lango and West Nile Parliamentary Caucus, urging President Museveni to ring-fence the office of the Speaker for someone from the north.

In the petition that was seen by Nile Post, the MPs argued that the NRM government received overwhelming support and a resounding victory from the Northern region in the previous elections, an achievement that was championed by the now late Oulanyah.

These said that as a reward, Oulanyah was entrusted with the position of the Speaker which has now been unfortunately cut short by his demise.

They also said that if their wish is not granted, they will not participate in voting of the new Speaker.

The election of the next Speaker of Parliament is scheduled for Friday, March 25, 2022.