Parliament has elected representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and the three new representatives- two former representatives in the previous 10th parliament; Veronica Kadogo Babirye and Jacquiline Amongin were elected from the independent block, with Democratic Party’s General Secretary, Gerald Siranda scooping the only position left for opposition parties.
The other opposition parties in the House, Jeema, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) presented one candidate each in the race and missed out on seats.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) didn’t front any candidates. The NRM MPs who retained their seats are; Rose Akol(422) votes, James Kakooza (405) votes, Paul Musamali (401) votes, George Odongo (403) votes, Denis Namara (415) votes, and Mary Mugenyi (367) votes.
Amongin, former ngora district woman mp and one of Uganda’s representatives to the Pan African parliament, polled 338 votes, while the former Buyende woman MP Veronica Kadogo secured 383 votes and DP’s Siranda polled 233 votes.
Speaker Anita Among declared the members elected for the positions and appealed to them to put the country first on the agenda rather than their political parties. She also asked the newly elected MPs to furnish parliament with reports from EALA business so it can be localized.
Earlier, the candidates had campaigned, with each accorded seven minutes, in a session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa.
Akol, who got the highest votes, said her priority would be to work together with her colleagues to accomplish the legal framework of the East African Community Monetary Union.
Siranda pledged to be an embodiment of national unity and dialogue, saying that the east African community is about the conversation.
According to the EALA roadmap, by September, parliament should have selected and gazetted Uganda’s representatives to the Arusha-based Assembly.
