Majority MPs from the NRM, together with a section of independent legislators aligned to the party, yesterday backed a proposal that could change how the Leader of the Opposition (LOP) is chosen.
The House granted Buyaga West MP Dennis Namara leave to introduce a private member’s bill seeking to amend the Administration of Parliament Act.
Presenting his proposal during plenary, Namara argued that the current system does not adequately reflect democracy within Parliament.
“We need to reflect the role of the opposition in Parliament. What is happening today is that the Leader of the Opposition is being elected outside Parliament. That is totally wrong,” Namara said.
As he presented the motion, opposition MPs, including Gonzaga Ssewungu (Kalungu West), Betty Nambooze Bakireke (Mukono Municipality) and Patrick Nsamba Oshabe (Kassanda North), repeatedly interrupted him.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, who chaired the sitting, intervened and defended Namara’s right to present his proposal.
“I will not allow Hon. Ssewungu to intimidate the honourable member, who has a right under the Rules of Procedure of this House to move a Private Member’s Bill,” Tayebwa ruled.
Namara argued that the amendments would strengthen the representation of opposition parties in Parliament and ensure wider consultation before the leader of the opposition is chosen.
According to Namara, the current arrangement allows the holder of the office to be imposed on opposition MPs without sufficient consultation.
He also argued that because the leader of the opposition receives public funds from the Consolidated Fund, the office holder should be held accountable in the same way ministers, permanent secretaries and other public officials are.
The leader of the opposition Joel Ssenyonyi remained seated throughout the debate and did not contribute. Some opposition MPs kept on heckling Namara, with some shouting that similar attempts had failed before.
Kibanda North MP Linos Ngompek seconded the motion, saying the current internal process of selecting the leader of the opposition is not sufficiently democratic.
Independent Mbale City Industrial Division MP Karim Masaba questioned whether independent MPs should participate in choosing the leader of the opposition.
Tayebwa said independent MPs are free to associate with any political grouping in Parliament, including those who have chosen to work with the NRM.
Tayebwa clarified that Namara was only seeking leave to draft the bill. It will now be referred to Parliament’s Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for scrutiny before returning to the House for debate.
If passed, the amendments could significantly change how the leader of the opposition is elected.
