Kadaga to run as independent for Speakership

The outgoing Speaker of the 10^th Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has announced that she will run for the position of speaker as an independent candidate. Kadaga’s decision comes after the ruling National Resistance Movement top organ the Central Executive Committee endorsed Omoro County MP Jacob Oulanyah as the party’s flag bearer in the race for Speaker of the 11th Parliament.

At half-past 6 PM on Sunday, the speaker of the 10^th Parliament Rebecca Kadaga showed up at Hotel Africa to announce her next course of action.

In a few minutes, the Kamuli Woman Member of Parliament clearly stated that she would be contesting as an independent.

Kadaga claims that she was denied an opportunity during the central executive committee meeting in Entebbe to present herself to the electorate.

Kadaga accuses a section of the National Resistance Movement senior members of fighting her for the last year amidst intimidation.

Kadaga however vowed to continue fighting for rights of ordinary Ugandans especially women as article 32 allows. She says that she had decided to contest because she feared that women were being forced out of leadership positions in the party.

Kadaga is the first woman to be elected Speaker in the history of the Parliament of Uganda. She succeeded Edward Ssekandi, who served as Speaker from 2001 to 2011.

Kadaga has appealed to ordinary Ugandans to call their representatives to vote for her in the May 24 contest that will be held on the floor of parliament.