The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has said she will not accept the Vice President’s job as a compromise to give up her bid for steering the August house.
Kadaga is in a tight race with her Deputy and NRM Party Vice Chairperson for Northern Uganda, Jacob Oulanyah in a bid to retain her position as speaker after serving two terms since 2011.
Kadaga’s comments came while responding to what she called an offer by some big wigs in the NRM, suggesting that she could win the VP’s job if she quits the Speakership race.
During a meeting with MPs from Busoga region at Hotel Africana over the weekend, Kadaga told participants that she is not interested in deputizing anyone.
This was also backed by the members of parliament who were present. They said that they are not interested in any other post in cabinet and they insist on retaining the post of the Speaker of Parliament.
Kadaga also debunked an argument being peddled by her opponents who claim that the Busoga region does not deserve to be handed a prominent position in government because Busoga did not vote President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni overwhelmingly.
Presenting statistics to back her argument, she said that the Northern region has never voted overwhelmingly for the NRM except for the just concluded election, but added that they have always been represented in government.
Others vying for the same position include the Kira Municipality and Opposition Chief Whip Ssemujju Nganda and the newly MP elect for Bukoto central Richard Ssebamala.
