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Former justice minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu has proposed that the Opposition party leader with the highest number of Members of Parliament (MPs) becomes the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the House.

Kamuntu's proposal follows one by Mityana South MP Richard Lumu where LOP should be elected by Opposition MPs. Lumu states that the manner of election of the LOP as it stands, excludes other opposition political parties represented in Parliament and yet the LoP superintends over all of them and even selects the shadow cabinet from among them.

Parliament, during the Gulu city sitting on August 29, 2024, granted Lumu leave to introduce a Private Member’s Bill titled: The Administration of Parliament Amendment Bill, 2024.

The Bill among others, seeks to revise the selection of LOP. Currently, LOP, who is accorded the status of a cabinet minister, is elected by the party in Opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength in Parliament, according to the Administration of Parliament Act.

Kamuntu argues that to cure the impasse created by the handpicked LOP and its party leader, the latter should automatically become ex-official MP.

“My alternative proposal is that the law should be amended to make a party leader with the largest MPs in Opposition as LOP both inside Parliament and outside the House, instead of electing LOP in Parliament only,” he said.

The former minister observes that if this is not addressed, tension between the two will continue and this affects parliamentary work.

He points out that LOP has a platform, mastery of law and conflict resolution while the party leader is out in the cold.

“On principles of power you should never outshine your boss but make your boss appear brighter than you are,” Prof. Kamuntu stated.

Kamuntu made his proposals known during a media briefing on September 1, 2024, at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

He cited the conflict between Bendicto Kiwanuka, the leader of Democratic Party and its secretary general Basil Bataringaya who became popular as LOP in the National Assembly and eventually crossed with five DP lawmakers to UPC government led by Dr Apollo Milton Obote in the floor of Parliament in 1962.

Kamuntu warned that this should not happen and that is why the law about LOP should be amended.

Consequently, the friction between the National Unity Platform (NUP) party leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and former LOP Mathias Mpunga over the sh1.7b service award.

Political pundits view that current LOP Joel Senyonyi doesn’t want to contradict his boss and this has affected his working relations with Speaker of Parliament Anita Among as well as other legislators of different political parties.

As a debate about Opposition MPs to elect LOP rages on, Kamuntu said Lumu’s proposal can’t cure the conflict between the party leader outside Parliament and LOP.