The election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament will be held on Monday 24th May 2021, the Clerk to Parliament, Ms. Jane L. Kibirige has confirmed.
It is the same date that President Yoweri Museveni called for Parliament’s first sitting.
The hotly contested race is between Speaker Kadaga and her Deputy, Jacob Oulanyah. Kadaga has been speaker for ten years and Oulanyah feels she has served her time.
Last week, Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda wrote to Kadaga on behalf of the Executive, requesting her to convene an urgent Parliamentary Commission meeting to postpone the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
In his letter, Rugunda wants elections to be pushed to after 21st May, to allow parties with representatives in parliament more time to caucus on the persons they want to front.
The constitution provides that the President shall appoint a date and place of the new parliament after seven days after of expiry of the old parliament.
In a related development, preparations are in high gear at Parliament as the institution readies itself for the swearing-in ceremonies of elected Members of Parliament which is expected to take place next week.