CEC meeting turns stormy as members debate Kadaga, Oulanyah fate   

The Central Executive Committee, which is the top organ of the ruling NRM party, has again failed to reach consensus regarding the fate of Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah in the speakership race.

It was expected that the meeting  that sat on Saturday afternoon at State House, Entebbe would determine who would become  the official flag bearer for the ruling party in the speakership elections set for Monday.

However, the CEC meeting started a few minutes past lunch time but it turned heated when debate to have one choice between Kadaga and Oulanyah started.

Storm

The meeting that dragged on for many hours with no agreement reached later turned stormy as members from both sides started exchanging words.

This prompted the meeting chairperson, also the party chairman, President Yoweri Museveni to ask non -core CEC members to exit the meeting room.

“By 8:00pm, there was still no decision made, which prompted the party chairman to adjourn the session to tomorrow morning,” a source that attended the meeting told the Nile Post.

According to another source, although the party chairman had suggested that the matter be referred to the NRM caucus, members rescinded and opted to have a final decision tomorrow, Sunday.

In a related development, the NRM Secretary General  Justine Kasule Lumumba has this evening written to all NRM MPs to attend the caucus meeting at Entebbe.

"I have been directed by His Excellency the President and national chairman  of the NRM to invite you for the  NRM caucus meeting on May,23, 2021 at State House Entebbe," the communication sent out on Saturday evening reads in part.

The meeting was supposed to take place at Kololo independence grounds but according to Oulanyah's communication, members will go by public transport arranged at Kololo by 8am on Sunday.

The race

Kadaga has been speaker for 10 years whereas Oulanyah has also been her deputy for 10 years.

Oulanyah’s camp openly says he is the rightful candidate for party in the speakership race after an alleged 2016 agreement that he lets Kadaga complete her 10 year tenure as speaker of parliament and he takes over from there.

However, on the other side, Kadaga has vehemently dismissed the same, saying there has never been such an agreement.