Race for Speaker: Museveni to meet Kadaga, Oulanyah today
After weeks of attacks, character assassination and ridicule, President Museveni will meet Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Deputy Jacob Oulanyah today over their quest in the race for speaker of Parliament.
Kadaga, who has been speaker for 10 years, is battling internal competition from her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah with whom they battled in 2016. The two principals have traded insults, each accusing the other of incompetence.
Sources at State House say, President Museveni will later in the day, today meet both leaders. The speaker ship race is expected to be the topical discussion.
Several members of the NRM CEC have come out to attack one another openly, some arguing that CEC supports Oulanyah’s candidature; Speaker Kadaga has dismissed the claims, saying no member of the top party organ supports Oulanyah.
Kadaga has already launched campaigns to retain the position. Oulanyah however has remained silent on the matter. He insists, the ruling party leadership will decide the next speaker.
The two principal’s recent attacks forced the ruling party Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba to ask both camps to cease fire.
It is also alleged, the Party Chairperson, Mr Museveni is disturbed by the increasing attacks with both Kadaga and Oulanyah’s race for speaker camps derailing the NRM Political Party.
The party is expected to hold a retreat for the newly elected MPs of the 11th parliament. It will be held at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi. It is also expected that the fate for the two giants will further be sealed.
Deputy speakership
The NRM leader is also expected to meet the Deputy Speaker candidates from the ruling party.
The candidates in the race include Bukedea Woman MP Annet Anita Among, State Minister for Finance, David Bahati and Robinah Rwakoojo, Gomba West MP.
Whereas the agendas for the two separate meetings to be held later today are not known, sources have intimated that Prime Minister, Dr Ruhakana Rugunda will also attend as an arbitrator.
