Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has exposed Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga as a selfish speaker who has imposed herself as the administrator of Parliament.
Since declaring his bid to unseat Kadaga as Speaker, the FDC spokesperson and Opposition Whip has been on rampage on media accusing Kadaga who is seeking a third term of maladministration characterized by intimidation, hate and divisionism.
While appearing on NBS, Ssemujju said that Kadaga has suffocated the independence of the institution of Parliament by imposing herself as the accounting officer of Parliament. He accused her of sidelining Members who disagree with her and rewarding those who merit whatever she says.
“Over time, I have heard that when you contest against the Speaker, you may be disadvantaged in Parliament by not being given a chance to speak. That motivates me because personally if I am refused from speaking, no one will speak. That Parliament is not personal. This country is in trouble. We are on the way to become like Nigeria where everyone is a warlord,” Ssemujju said.
He alleged that Kadaga is working tooth and nail to force herself back as Speaker and that sacks of money are being used to influence MPs to vote.
“The trouble is that the Speaker is both a Speaker of Parliament and an administrator. You have to invite Kadaga so she tells us why she had to lockout her deputy for over a year,” he said.
Kadaga blocked her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah from chairing any parliamentary sitting for over year until last week when she out of shame allowed Oulanyah chair two sittings as she attended the burial of her relative.
Kadaga’s camp has been popularizing her candidature on ground that she has been at the fore front of championing MPs welfare among which includes the pensions scheme and constituency development fund.
For the record, the parliamentary pension’s scheme was established by the Parliamentary pension’s act of 2007 in the 8th parliament. During this time, Edward Ssekandi was the Speaker and not Kadaga.
The scheme provided for contributions of 15% from each parliamentarian and 30% from the government. It is out of this scheme that MPs who have lost in their first term receive Shs300m and those who have served two terms and lost receive Shs600m.
It was during Kadaga’s tenure as Speaker when the constituency development fund was scrapped in 2011 and its effect has been observed in her last two terms where more than 80% of incumbent MPs have lost their seats.
The constituency development fund was introduced by President Museveni in 2005 following complaints by MPs on overwhelming demands from their constituents on roads, health, education among others. It was later scrapped in August 2011 following recommendations from the Parliamentary commission under the leadership of Kadaga as speaker.
