Panicky Moment: Museveni To Preside Over Election Of Speaker, Deputy Speaker Tomorrow

By Swift Reporter

Yoweri Museveni and the Chief Justice are expected to preside over the opening sitting of Uganda’s 12th Parliament on Monday, as Members of Parliament prepare to elect a new Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

According to the official order paper, the First Meeting of the First Session of the 12th Parliament will commence at 10:00am with the arrival of President Museveni at Parliament.

The highly anticipated sitting will mark the beginning of a new parliamentary term and is expected to shape the country’s legislative leadership for the next five years.

Under the parliamentary programme, lawmakers will begin with the nomination of candidates for the position of Speaker, followed by voting and the swearing-in ceremony for the successful candidate.

“The election of the Speaker will be presided over by the Chief Justice,” the official order paper states.

Before voting begins, the Clerk to Parliament will read Rule 5 of the Rules of Procedure governing the election process for both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Candidates nominated for the Speaker’s position will be required to formally accept their nominations before Members of Parliament proceed to cast their votes.

Once the results are declared, President Museveni will administer the oath of office to the newly elected Speaker in line with Article 82(10) of the Constitution and the Second Schedule of the Oaths Act.

The President will also hand over the instruments of power to the Speaker, who will then make an official communication from the Chair.

Parliament will thereafter proceed with the nomination and election of the Deputy Speaker using a similar process.

Following the declaration of results, the newly elected Deputy Speaker will also take the oath of office before receiving instruments of authority from the President.

The Deputy Speaker is expected to address the House before President Museveni delivers his closing remarks at the end of the sitting.

The opening of the 12th Parliament has generated intense political interest across the country, with competition for the top parliamentary offices expected to influence the direction of Uganda’s legislative agenda and political dynamics in the coming years.

Several ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) legislators have already expressed interest in the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions, setting the stage for what is expected to be a closely watched political contest.