Uganda’s representatives to the EA Parliament

Aug 06, 2006

Uganda is sending nine representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). Seven of the members are from the National Resistance Movement-Organisation (NRM-O) and two from the Forum for Democratic Change. <b>Arthur Baguma</b> and <b>Raphael Okello</b> take a look at the nine representat

Mike Sebalu, former MP Busiro East, Wakiso District. He was a member of the Pan African parliament.
“It gave me experience in international politics. I am technically qualified with a masters in International Relations,” he says.
But most importantly, he wants to see the process of East African federation becoming a pro-people process owned and cherished by the people.
“It is the President’s desire and I want it fulfiled,” Sebalu says.
Born in 1965, Sebalu holds bachelors degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University. He served as an administrative officer in the office of the President (1996-2000), a Constituent Assembly (CA) delegate and an insurance manager (1989-1995). He is married.

Dora Byamukama, former MP for Mwenge South, Kabarole
“I expected to win, otherwise I wouldn’t have stood,” says Byamukama. She is going into the assembly with an agenda to push for the priorities of the NRM-O party. “Since I am representing a party, I will push for the party interests of Uganda.” She was active in the Parliament and served on several committees. Byamukama has a law degree and a diploma in legal practice from Law Development Centre.
She served as an assistant project director international law institute (1997) before becoming the director law and advocacy for women in Uganda (1999).
She has special interest in human rights, micro-finance and gender issues.
She says, “I envisage that we will have to come up with a constitution for East Africa, which will capture key aspects of human rights and governance.
Other areas she will advocate for are; bridging the information gap between the urban and rural areas, tourism and labour issues. Byamukama says she will push for the promotion of the comparative advantage aspect.
“Each country should concentrate on areas where they have a comparative advantage, for instance, Uganda is increasingly becoming a centre of education excellence, we could use this to market our schools in the region.”

Bernard Mulengani former MP Bukooli Central
His priority is to achieve the objectives of the East African Community federation.
Although sections of the media reported his coming as a surprise, he says, “It was my competitive right. I was confident. I am competent to represent Uganda.” Mulengani holds a masters degree in Economic and Policy Planning and bachelors degree in Statistics from Makerere University. He also holds a third stage of the institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. He has worked with several multi-national companies including Unilever Uganda Limited, where he was procurement and exports promotions manager.
Born in Nankoma in Bugiri District, he is a founder member of NRM. He attended Bugiri Primary School, Iganga SS and Bukoyo SS.

Daniel Kidega, former Youth MP for Northern Uganda
He contested as MP for Kilak County in Gulu, but lost to FDC’s Mike Ocula Nyeko.
Kidega holds a diploma in Science, Technology and Biochemistry from Kyambogo University and a degree in Business Administration from Christian University, Mukono.
He was once the chairperson National Youth Council and later the private secretary to the Vice President.
Kidega hopes to create a balance in inter-regional trade, propagate environmental conservation of major forests, rivers and Lake Victoria and also advocate for the free movement of people and capital within East Africa.
“I have perused through figures of inter-state trade and there is no balance. This means we (Ugandans) have to improve market utility in Tanzania and Kenya, which entails improving our product capacity,” says Kidega.

Lydia Wanyoto
Wanyoto’s emergence on the political scene, in 2001, was as shocking as her election to the East African Legislative Assembly in the same year. She was a scarcely known Policy, Gender and Communication Advocacy Analyst with the Population Secretariat. She was not only a political novice, but at 30, she was the youngest of them all.
She is the only NRM-O member to retain her seat. Was it a shrewd campaign strategy, allegiance to NRM-O or a high level performance during the previous assembly?
“I really cannot tell why. I am just as happy as I am sad for my friends who did not make it,” she said.
During the previous assembly, Wanyoto was nominated to seat on a team as a Ugandan expert on governance and democracy in the Great Lakes region and also chaired a committee on agriculture, natural resources and tourism.
She also promoted Uganda’s education system by advocating for the abolition of student visa tariffs, thus enabling Kenyans and Tanzanian students to easily access education in Uganda. “Uganda is a landlocked country. We can only favourably compete with other East African countries in service provision,” she says.
Previously, her goals were to promote equality, development and peace for Ugandan and the neighbouring countries.
Wanyoto looks forward to consolidating the same goals with the view of participating in the drawing of a roadmap to the formation of the East African federation. “Last time, we passed the legislation law. This time we are concentrating on the formation of a political federation. And for this to happen, we must have a common market and currency,” says Wanyoto.

Mugisha Muntu
Muntu’s reinstatement in the assembly should come as no surprise. The 46-year-old former army commander (1989 — 1998) and National Resistance Council historical who recently joined FDC, knows how to fight and win his battles.
He has a wealth of military and political experience as shown by the several positions he occupied in the army. He was a Division Commander, Director of Civil Intelligence and was an elected army representative in the sixth Parliament.
A member on the regional affairs and conflict resolution committee in the previous assembly, Muntu believes that members working as a team from Uganda will be the best way of accomplishing any goals. “The next five years is the period when the protocol on common markets will be negotiated, some of the issues being the union and fast tracking of the federation. We have to ensure that we advance the interests of the region and to make sure Uganda’s interests are taken care of. The only way to make an impact will be to work as a team.”

Wandera Ogalo
A seasoned advocate and legislator, Ogalo will be no stranger to the East African Legislative Assembly. He is among the three incumbents to be reinstated.
Unlike the previous tenure, when he stood as an independent, this time he returns on the FDC ticket. Ogalo joined politics in 1993 when he was elected as a Constituent Assembly delegate for Bukooli south, Bugiri district. He went on to join the Parliament as MP for the same constituency in 1996. With a bachelors degree in Law as well as a masters from Makerere University and a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre, Ogalo soon exercised his legal expertise in the Parliament.
He chaired the parliamentary select committee that probed Uganda Railways Corporation, was vice chairman of the ministry of defence committee that probed the junk helicopters and the chairman of the legal and parliamentary affairs committee.
He was also a deputy chairman of the rules and disciplinary committee. Although he only recently crossed to FDC from NRM-O, his new party members have shown that Ogalo’s leadership and remarkable experience in advocacy and legislation will be invaluable at the assembly by electing him.

Nusura Tiperu
Standing on NRM-O ticket, the former MP is still young and energetic. She has been a vocal politician since her school days.
Born in 1974, Tiperu could be among the youngest legislators in the assembly.
She holds bachelors of Social Sciences and a masters degree in Sociology from Makerere University. She also holds a diploma in leadership skills.
She has been active on the political scene and likes political discussions.
Tiperu has served on the presidential and foreign affairs committee in Parliament.
She served as a Gender Administrator—Union of Muslim Councils in 1998. She also served as clerical Assistant Dean of Studies, Makerere University.

Margaret Nantongo Zziwa, former Woman MP for Kampala Central
After losing her Kampala woman seat, Zziwa will be making her debut in the assembly.
Born in 1961, Zziwa is flying the NRM flag.
A gender activist, she holds a bachelors degree in Economics and Social Administration and a masters degree in women studies from Makerere University. She also holds a postgraduate Diploma in Education.
Zziwa served, as a Member of Parliament for Kampala Central from 1996 to 2005. Zziwa appreciates banking issues and served as a banking officer with the former Uganda Commercial Bank (1988-1994).
Ends

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});