Members of Parliament on Monday held their first sitting of the 11th Parliament where Omoro County MP Jacob Oulanyah was elected as Speaker.
Oulanyah, NRM flagbearer scored a majority vote of 310 votes against Kamuli Woman MP Rebecca Kadaga who garnered 197.
The FDC candidate Ibrahim Ssemujju (Kira Municipality) got 15 votes in a sitting of 524 MPs who cast their vote.
Kadaga defied the position of NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) and caucus to stand as Independent after the Party chose Oulanyah as their preferred candidate.
However, after the election, Kadaga, flanked by Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal, left her to congratulate Oulanyah for the victory. The two exchanged pleasantries amidst cheers from the House which was sitting at Kololo Independence Ground. She left shortly after Oulanyah was declared the winner and did not cast her vote for Deputy Speaker seat.
The election of Speaker was presided over by the Chief Justice, Alfsonse Dollo Winy in presence of President Yoweri Museveni.
By press time, Oulanyah was presiding over the election of Deputy Speaker in accordance with the Parliament Rules of Procedure.
The candidates for Deputy Speaker are; NRM's Anita Among (Bukedea District), Yusuf Nsibambi (Mawokota South) and Muhammed Nsereko (Kampala Central). Anita Among is tipped to take the Deputy Speaker seat in an election which is likely to end late in the evening.
