By Spy Uganda
Entebbe: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni summoned both Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and her Deputy Jacob Oulanyah in separate meetings at State House Entebbe on Friday.
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Accoding to our sources, Museveni’s meeting with the two speakers dragged on for over five hours trying to smoothen their relationship which went in vain something that forced the seemingly annoyed NRM chairman to order for the suspension of their campaigns.
Kadaga is facing deadly pressure from her deputy Jacob Oulanyah who has since generated support from the majority of legislators who say enough is enough for Kadaga hence thirsty for a new and fresh leader.
Speaker Kadaga and her deputy Oulanyah are wooing a House that has 527 Members of Parliament (MPs) of the 11th parliament that is to be inaugurated in May. That is roughly 100 more MPs from the last round in 2016.
The two leaders have divided support from cabinet since they are both members of the ruling party; National Resistance Movement (NRM), but according to sources, Kadaga is facing it hard to generate support from Central Executive Committee (CEC); the party’s highest decision making organ since most of members are allegedly behind Oulanyah.
According to sources still, ministers; Ephraim Kamuntu, Kahinda Otafiire, Betty Amongi, Peter Ogwang, Betty Namuganza are rooting for the Deputy Speaker. Remember that Oulanyah is a young energetic flexible leader who has in the last few weeks been traveling across the country to meet MPs from the sub regions of Karamoja, Lango, Acholi and West Nile.
Oulanyah’s most recent campaign event was held on March 13 in Lyantonde district. It was also a thanksgiving ceremony for Enos Asiimwe, Kabula county MP-elect. The event was attended by Lyantonde Woman MP Pauline Kemirembe, Kiruhura Woman MP, the Bukoto West MP, and a host of new MPs from Kasambya, Kazo, Rakai and elsewhere.
On thereother hand however, according to sources from the house, Kadaga has a different strategy from Oulanyah’s. She has been meeting new MPs in her office at parliament probably enticing them with trips abroad and other parliamentary privileges if they support her.
This comes at a tine when no known minister has publicly expressed support for Speaker Kadaga noting the recent clash with Government chief whip Ruth Nankabirwa who has since been seen publicly hunting support for Oulanyah in all corners of parliament.
According to analysts, Kadaga’s failure to deliver Busoga region for Museveni and NRM could be a huge blow to her speaker ship. According to election results, Museveni won only three districts in the region; Buyende, Kaliro and Namutumba but lost to Kyagulanyi in major districts like Iganga, Jinja, Bugweri, Bugiri, Mayuge and Kamuli where Kadaga comes from.
From the Opposition, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Bukoto Central MP-elect Robert Ssebamala of Democratic Party (DP) hope to take the same hotly contested seat.
