Semujju For Speaker

The race for the speakership of parliament is getting tighter with new prospective candidates now hopping onto the bus.

The latest is the Kira Municipality Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, has come out to declare his interest in contesting for the office in the 11th parliament.

Addressing a presser at parliament on Tuesday morning, Ssemujju confidently declared he would be the next speaker of parliament and speak for all Ugandans.

Semujju also asked for the opposition forces in parliament to stand with him and rally their support behind him in addition to a handful of NRM legislators who have equally grown to trust him.

”I have told them that as opposition, we will be asked to provide an alternative on everything that happens. It will be terrible if we assemble here on the first day to cheer the NRM. I am asking for their support,” Ssemujju said.

Semmujju draws his confidence to win from the well of knowledge and experience during his service in parliament for over 20 years both as a journalist reporting there and as an MP later.

“It is these good tactics that I have learned over a period of 20 years both as a journalist and MP that I want to employ to make parliament greater.”

Semujju For Speaker

In parliament, Semujju chairs the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises. He is also a member of the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs and of the Business Committee.

His bid now means that the battle lines will now be drawn between 3 solid candidates, including ; Rebecca Kadaga and deputy Jacob Oulanyah.

Despite the fact that Kadaga and Oulanyah are yet to declare their stance on the matter, all signs point to them contesting for speaker of parliament.

Recently the UWOPA- Uganda Women Parliamentary Association publicly put their weight behind Kadaga to stay another term as a speaker while the government chief whip Ruth Nankabirwa officially endorsed Oulanyah for the same post in parliament.

Semujju For Speaker

Also, their campaign teams are reportedly canvassing support for them among legislators.

Article 82 of the constitution provides that there shall be a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, who are elected by Members of Parliament from among their number.

The Speaker is the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Commission, the Committee of Appointments, and the Business Committee.

The Speaker chairs all sittings of Parliament and ensures that debates are handled in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.