Hon Anita Among, the woman member of parliament for Bukedea Distruct been elected Speaker of the Eleventh Parliament.
She defeated the opposition candidate Hon Asuman Basalirwa, the Bugiri Municipality Member of Parliament. She garnered 401 votes against Basalirwa who got only 66 votes.
The election of the Speaker of Parliament was presided over by the Chief Justice of Uganda, Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo at Kololo Independence Grounds.
Among’s election follows the death of Omoro County MP, Hon Jacob Oulanyah who died on Sunday in a Seattle Hospital, United States of America.
In the past 9 months, Among has been serving as Deputy Speaker of Parliament. She was nominated by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja while Basalirwa by Hon Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition in the 11th Parliament.
Earlier on Wednesday, Among was endorsed as the ruling NRM party as flag bearer in the Speaker race by the NRM party top organ- the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and the NRM Parliamentary caucus.
Parliament has been at a standstill since March 14th when the then Deputy Speaker Among adjourned the House sine die to enable her to fly to the USA to check on then bedridden Oulanyah who had been indisposed for weeks.
The Constitution under Article 82 (4) provides that no business shall be transacted in Parliament other than election of Speaker at any time that office is vacant. This same procedure is laid down under Rule 5 of the Parliament Rules of Procedure.
Article 82 of the Constitution also provides that the Speaker and Deputy Speaker shall be elected by Members of Parliament from their number and a person shall not be qualified to be elected Speaker or Deputy Speaker if he or she is a Vice President or a Minister.
