By Stuart Bogere Oswald

KIU, Main Campus - After the swearing-in of Members of Parliament, the first business conducted by the new Parliament is the election of the Speaker of Parliament, which has been scheduled for Monday 24th May 2021.

According to 1995 Uganda Constitution,  Article 82 provides for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament. It says that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker shall be elected by members of Parliament from among their number.

The Constitution provides that a person shall not be qualified to be elected a Speaker or Deputy Speaker if he or she is a Vice President or a Minister, and also provides that no business shall be transacted in Parliament other than an election to the office of Speaker at any time that office is vacant.

A hotly contested race of Speakership includes the incumbent Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, her current Deputy Jacob Oulanyah, and Kiira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda.

There are seven Members of Parliament contesting for the position of Deputy Speakership. These include; West Budama North MP Jacob Oboth-Oboth, Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among, Kampala Central MP Muhammad Nsereko, Ruhinda North MP Thomas Tayebwa, Gomba West MP Robinah Rwakojo, Theodore Ssekikubo, the Lwemiyaga County MP, and State Minister for Finance David Bahati.

By the constitution, the Chief Justice or a judge designated by the Chief Justice shall preside at an election of a Speaker, and the Speaker shall preside at an election of the Deputy Speaker.

The election of the 11th Parliament Speaker and Deputy Speaker have been scheduled to be held at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.