Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among will Deputize Omoro County MP, Jacob Oulanya as Speaker of the 11th Parliament. The development follows a vote by the NRM caucus which sat on Sunday to choose representatives for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
Former Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga who has served as Speaker for ten years was sent parking in favor of Oulanya, while MPs also voted Among against Thomas Tayebwa.
In the close race, Among garnered 168 votes while her close rival Tayebwa got 149 of the total votes cast.
Among trounced other candidates in the race, including; Gomba West MP, Robinah Rwakoojo Gureme.
Meanwhile, former Speaker of the 9th and 10th Parliaments Rebecca Kadaga stormed out of State House after losing the Party vote, and decided to stand as an independent, in an election slated for today, at Kololo.
Kadaga announced she was going independent, claiming that her party had been fighting her. However, reports indicate that in 2016, she had been favored over Oulanya, after asking to serve only ten years like her predecessor, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi.
But, when time came for Kadaga to pave way for her Deputy Oulanya, she reportedly refused, claiming she was the only one that knew how to handle the President very well. The duo, Kadaga and Oulanya, have been involved in a smear campaign for the last few months.
It is reported that Tayebwa, may also follow Kadaga, to stand as an independent candidate, with hope to sway some votes from the opposition.
Among will now compete for the Deputy Speakership with Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko who is standing as an independent candidate, Denis Oguzu lee the MP Maracha, Yusuf Nsibambi the Mawokota South MP, and Okin PP Ojara, the Chua West MP.
Oulanya on the other hand will face his arch rival Rebecca Kadaga and FDC’s Ssemujju Nganda.