Speakership Race: Winnie Byanyima Throws her Weight Behind Kadaga

Speaker of Parliament Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga’s bid to defend her seat has received remarkable traction from Forum for Democratic Change’s Winnie Byanyima.

The former Vice Chairperson of the FDC-turned Reform Agenda over the weekend made public her support for the country’s first female speaker of parliament, and appealed to the House to hand her another term in office.

Byanyima said on Saturday that the Kamuli Woman Member of Parliament had steered the house well and deserved another chance.

She went on to praise her for always trying to “broker compromise and respect minority views.” “She is a role model,” said Byanyima of the NRM legislator.

Hon Kadaga gained attention in the better part of the 9^th parliament for amplifying minority dissenting views on the floor of parliament, sometimes to the irritation of her ruling party.

A couple of years ago she went on a collision course with some NRM leaders when she refused to dismiss from parliament some members that were expunged from the ruling party over indiscipline.

The head of Oxfam international, — herself a former NRM spokesperson back in the 90s — when questioned by her followers on social media, stressed that there was nothing wrong with her siding with a ruling party candidate.

“Sometimes I have agreed with NRM government policies. What is wrong with that?” she noted. “I promote social justice and not party interest.”

She further heaped praises on Hon Kadaga for her “integrity, balance and interpersonal skills.” These she said earned her the Parliament’s respect. Byanyima added that the Speaker Kadaga was “highly regarded and influential in Africa and globally.”

As for the Deputy speaker Hon Jacob Oulanyah, who is Kadaga’s main challenger for speakership, Byanyima said he had underperformed in some areas.

Recently Kadaga called upon her NRM party to allow her another term in office like her predecessor Hon Edward Kiwanuka Sekandi, who is now Vice President.

The NRM says it is making efforts to arrive at one candidate for the speakership without going to vote.