Ruling NRM Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson Dr Fred Tanga Odoi was absent as outgoing Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga formally submitted her expression of interest letter for the party’s ticket ahead of May 24 speaker and deputy speaker election.
It was Dr Tanga Odoi’s deputy John Arimpa Kigyagyi that received Kadaga’s expression of interest notice.
It was not clear why Odoi was no show as Kadaga handed in her notice, but some observers have been reading a lot in his absence.
Recently, Dr Tanga Odoi distanced himself from a notice on the expression of interest forms.
The notice had been published on the party’s Twitter account but NRM Secretariat apologized over the same.
Could Tanga Odoi have disagreed over this process and wants to try as much as possible to avoid it.
Or could this be a signal of what Kadaga should expect from NRM CEC?
Does Tanga Odoi have a candidate in the speaker race, and will he appear when Kadaga’s opponent Jacob Oulanyah comes to pick the forms?
Oulanyah has today vacated his office ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on May 20.
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The deadline for submission of expression of interest forms is May 21.
So far, only Kadaga and NRM deputy speaker aspirants Anita Among (Bukedea Woman) and Thomas Tayebwa (Ruhinda North) submitted forms on day one.
After close of business on May 21, the NRM EC will send the names or aspirants to CEC, the party’s top organ, for vetting.
The party’s MPs will then constitute a parliamentary caucus on May 23 and choose flag bearers.
Election of 11th Parliament speaker and Deputy speaker will happen on May 24 at the Kololo Independence Grounds.
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