It is Kategaya who caused the mess at the EALA elections

By Dora Byamukama

In his Saturday column, John  Nagenda a fellow columnist of The New Vision commented on Uganda’s mess in the recently concluded East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) elections in Arusha where I was Uganda’s official candidate for Speakership. He advised me to use my own weekly column to set matters straight. 

The New Vision editorial of Tuesday as well as commentators in other media have also weighed in calling for my side of the story, which I otherwise have been reluctant to give since this is a Government matter. I sincerely appreciate the tremendous support and trust which was given to me by all shades and categories of Ugandans throughout my humble candidacy to represent our beloved country in the EALA.  

The support I received from within my own political party, the NRM, was overwhelming and I emerged as the candidate with the highest vote in the NRM parliamentary caucus. I received the same overwhelming support in Parliament where I was the best female candidate for the EALA. From the word go, it was a well known fact that Uganda would provide the next Speaker as provided for under Article 53(1) of the EAC Treaty. 

The first Speaker came from Tanzania, the second from Kenya and the third was to come from Uganda. Therefore, the candidature of Burundi for Speaker was diversionary. It was the duty and responsibility of the Uganda minister of the East African Affairs, Eriya Kategaya, to make this clear and defend Uganda’s interests. Had he done so from the offset, much of this confusion would not have arisen. It would not even have been necessary for our President to call his Burundi counterpart on an issue which is clear in the Treaty. Kategaya’s ambivalence on Uganda’s right to the Speakership of EALA set the stage for the confusion which ensued.

My primary interest was to be re-elected to EALA for a second term so that I could accomplish the work that we had started. During my first term I served as a commissioner responsible for the management and administration of EALA under the Speaker for five years. As a lawyer, I also served on the Legal Rules and Privileges Committee.  

I moved a number of Private Member Bills such as the Establishment of the East African Parliamentary Institute Bill. I also had a number of bills in the pipeline such as Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons as well as eradication of Female Genital Mutilation in the entire East Africa region. As such, I believe I had much to contribute to the EALA and this is why I sought re-election. 

My initial ambition was not for Speakership although I was aware that it was Uganda’s turn. However, in the course of the EALA elections, members of the NRM Caucus and Parliament built consensus on my name as the most competent candidate.  Several meetings were held to concretise my candidature. For example, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, convened a meeting composed of EALA members-elect and the Chief Whips of parties.

The meeting conducted a mini–election among the nine EALA members-elect for the post of Speaker. All the six EALA members unanimously endorsed me. From this point, plans were made, funds were availed and a team was dispatched to support my candidature as Uganda’s choice.  

Although Article 53 of the EAC Treaty provides for an election, it is very important to note that this is a foreign policy issue.  Partner states are supposed to respect the choice of the country whose turn it is to fill the post of Speaker.

For example, in the first EALA, Tanzania presented one choice and he was endorsed unopposed;  in the second one, initially there was competition but finally Kenya presented one choice that was again endorsed unopposed. So why Uganda? Your answer is as good as mine.

In light of this, the following should be noted:
-Margaret Zziwa’s candidature was not announced until the very last minute when nominations for Speaker were being closed. Had I known there was another candidate for Uganda I may have re-considered in the interest of our country; 

-It was the duty of our East African Affairs minister to ensure that Uganda had one position for the post of Speaker;

-In Arusha, a straw election among the Uganda EALA members to determine the Speaker on the advice of our minister for EAC was conducted. I scored 8 out of 9 votes and Zziwa was supposed to withdraw;

lShe refused to withdraw and our minister left it open; 

lThis explains why in the first round none of the Ugandan candidates got the required two-thirds because Uganda’s ambivalent position confused the other members.

lFinally, it is the other countries which chose for Uganda according to their national interests;

lIt is, therefore, unfair for Kategaya, whom I respect very much as the First Deputy Prime Minister, to put all the blame on me as the source of confusion when I am actually a victim. 

What are the lessons for Uganda? “United we stand, Divided we fall.” It is not I as an individual who lost in Arusha but Uganda. If Uganda is going to benefit from regional integration under  the EAC and other blocs, it has to overcome the kind of tribal, religious, sectarian politics and intrigue that many of us witnessed during the EALA Speaker’s elections in Arusha. 

I have already moved on. My colleagues in EALA have elected me as Chair of Legal, Rules and Privileges Committee.  I am grateful to my colleagues. This is proof of their confidence in my ability. As part of the EALA team, I will continue to diligently represent Uganda. In the interest of progress and harmony I do not intend to dwell on this issue any further.