By Spy Uganda
Kampala: “My role as Speaker will be to execute with outmost diligence the mandate given to me by constitution and the responsibility that comes with it to preside over the August House for the protection of the national interests & improvement of service delivery systems for the benefit of our people”.
Newly elected Speaker of Parliament Rt.Hon.Jacob L’okori Oulanyah has started on a good note, preaching reconciliation and togetherness in his regime, saying parliament debates will be based on faith, facts and sharpened reasoning during plenary.
Oulanyah made the comments while delivering his victory speech after being pronounced the winner of the parliamentary speakership race after beating his former boss Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga in a hotly contested race which seemed to have left a lot of wounds in Kadaga’s heart but Oulanyah is determined to work along with her regardless. Oulanyah also asked for forgive from Kadaga for any mistakes that could have been committed during the campaign either by him or his campaign team.
Oulanyah noted that his regime will be one based on faith, facts and sharpening argument rather than raising voices, adding that under his leadership, no view shall be suppressed and all legislators will be tolerated.
”We should agree that no view shall be suppressed and work with tolerance. We should act in a harmonious way. We have collective responsibility” he said.
“This particular election has been challenging. As a result, expectations are high, fears and uncertainties exist but together we must rebuild our friendship. I promise to provide leadership through this and walk the talk, expectations are high but together we should mend the bridges,” he added.
“In short, our work will enable us to learn more about and from each other, prejudices will be abandoned as we discover how much we all care about our country and our people. Convictions will be entrenched as we find new reasons to work together. None of us will claim not to have learnt something new in the course of our work.”
He appealed that the MPs pick a leaf from his statements and adopt them as methods of work.
“I hope and pray that the guidance and decisions, I will have the opportunity to make in the next 5 years will make me truly deserve the overwhelming confidence you showed in electing me Speaker of this 11th Parliament,” Oulanyah added.
Oulanyah further applauded the people of Omoro County who elected him, the NRM leadership that endorsed him for the Speakership position.
“I am truly humbled to be elected Speaker of this Parliament and I promise to work together with the Deputy Speaker that you will select to repay the confidence you showed when you elected me as Speaker.”
Oulanyah said that in one’s lifetime, you can change party affiliation but it is unusual that one can change Nationality, and therefore when decision-making time comes, legislators must measure the decisions against national interest and this is what he will do.
