Aringa South County MP joins speakership race

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Aringa South County legislator Alioni Yorke Odria has declared his intention to run for the position of Speaker of the 12th Parliament.

Odria joins incumbent Speaker Anita Among, housing state minister Persis Namuganza, and justice minister Nobert Mao, who have all officially declared their intention to contest for the speakership.

“I am not here to speak in parables but to officially declare my candidature for the speakership race of parliament,” Odria said on Tuesday (February 24) while addressing the media at Kampala Serena Hotel.

Odria said many Ugandans have often wondered what the speakership position entails, adding that it is a role that brings together all duly elected Members of Parliament.

He, however, alleged that there are some MPs in Parliament who were not elected but have imposed themselves on voters and Ugandans.

Aringa South County legislator Alioni Yorke Odria addressing the media at Serena Hotel as he holds a copy of Rules and Procedure of Parliament. (Photo by Simon Peter Tumwine)

“You are all aware that there are some MPs who were not elected but found their way to become MPs, and they are not sure of the percentage that they might have attained in the general elections,” Odria said.

Odria said that once elected Speaker of Parliament, he will use the 1995 Constitution and the Rules of Procedure of Parliament as guiding tools. He added that Rule 91 of the Rules of Procedure guides the speakership race, but some of the candidates have already broken the rules.

“Some of the colleagues that are contesting for the speakership race are holding meetings in their homes and are under panic and are already giving bribes to the MPs-elect because they are not sure of winning the election,” Odria said.

He added that Rule 11 of the Rules of Procedure of Parliament is clear that all candidates who have subjected themselves to the speakership race shall be voted for by secret ballot.

“This time, nobody is going to intimidate us. We are going to stand for the truth, tell the people the truth so as to redeem the parliament,” Odria said, adding that the role of the Speaker is to preside over Parliament and cite the Rules of Procedure, among other responsibilities.

Odria said that although the NRM party has its own constitution, there is information circulating that some candidates yet to be nominated for the speakership have been endorsed and ring-fenced by the party’s top organ, the Central Executive Committee.

“The law is not going to be taken and played with by a few individuals in the NRM party. The Ugandan constitution is supreme, and ring fencing of the speakership position is totally wrong, and it is contrary to Article 1 of the Constitution,” Odria.