The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, last night joined a growing number of aspirants for the Speaker race.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ms. Anita Among has expressed her interest in the speakership race.
Among expressed her interest by sending her assistant to the NRM party headquarters which have been accepted.
Due to medical reasons, she was unable to make it to the headquarters.
Earlier today, Among signed a condolence book in honor of the late Rt Hon. Jacob Oulanyah.
Currently, only one person has officially expressed interest in the post of speaker.
Parliament Spokesman Chris Obore last night dismissed reports that Ms Among had resigned ahead of the contest, arguing that there is no such legal requirement.
A flurry of meetings, phone calls and clashing programmes characterised the mood at Parliament yesterday with several legislators either showing interest or being fronted to replace Jacob Oulanyah as speaker.
Several legislators could be seen dashing from one board room to the other catching up with fast paced events after the government announced that Parliament will on Friday convene to replace Oulanyah who died in Seattle, United States, on Sunday.
Later in the afternoon, President Museveni issued a directive to all the ministers who have interest to contest for the seat to resign by closure of business yesterday.
It was not immediately clear how many ministers had resigned by press time.
As the day wore down, at least four names had prominently featured as potential replacements for Oulanyah.
They are Ms Among, who is also the Bukedea Woman MP, Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Hillary Onek, State minister for Sports Denis Hamson Obua (Ajuri), and State minister for Defence Jacob Oboth Oboth (West Budama South).
Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the minister for ICT and National Guidance, said the Cabinet yesterday sat at State House Entebbe and resolved that basing on the constitutional requirements, Parliament shall convene on Friday to fill the vacancy of the speaker.
The ruling NRM party shortly after issued calls for expression of interest to its members with a deadline of 5pm today.
The ruling National Resistance Movement called upon cabinet ministers who have an intention to stand for the speaker to express their interests without standing down from their positions.
According to the constitution, Members of Cabinet can only be voted to a position of the speaker in parliament upon resignation from office.
However, the Party Electoral Commission Chairman Tanga Odoi, says the ministers can freely express interest at the moment and will be required to resign after the resolutions by the party top organ, the Central Executive Committee (CEC).
Already, the State Minister of Defence (General Duties) has already expressed interest in the position of Speaker of Parliament, while reports also indicate that the First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga is also coming for the position.
Also, Deputy Speaker Anita Among has expressed interest in the Speaker position, however, she does not need to resign her position.
In a statement from the director of communications at parliament Chris Obore states that the Clerk to Parliament has not received any resignation from the Deputy Speaker Anita Annet Among and that there is no legal requirement for her to resign if she needs to vie for the position of Speaker as the its members of Cabinet that the law commands to resign first.
Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM electoral commission chairperson said they shall present names of the interested candidates to the NRM Central Executive Committee, which shall recommend names for election to the NRM Parliamentary Caucus on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has no vacancy for the position of a deputy speaker, according to its electoral commission.
Addressing journalists today, the NRM electoral commission chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi emphasized “that the party will not conduct any nominations for the position.”
