Among is Speaker

Anita Among was today sworn as the new speaker of parliament. She replaces Jacob Oulanya who was pronounced dead on Sunday.

Among got 401 votes against the opposition flag bearer and Bugiri municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa who got 66 votes

The process at the Kololo ceremonial grounds was presided over by the Chief Justice Alphonse Owinyi Dolo and attended by President Yoweri Museveni.

Asuman Basalirwa conceded defeat, thanking those that voted him, and pledging to work with the new Speaker if she called upon his service.

Addressing the house after her election, the new Speaker said parliament will be people-centered.

She later presided over the election of deputy Speaker of parliament in which NRMs Thoams Tayebwa’s votes outnumbered the opposition’s, Okot P’bitek.

Earlier there were disruptions caused by members of the opposition after Butambala county MP and chairperson of the Buganda parliamentary caucus Mohammed Muwanga Kivumbi raised a point of procedure in which he suggested that the house was not proceeding well under leadership of Chief Justice Alphonse Owinyi Dollo who had recently made statements allegedly bordering on tribalism.

Chief Justice Dollo rejected Kivumbi’s points of procure saying his constituency is limited to Butambala county and not the whole of Buganda.