KAMPALA — Parliament has granted leave to Richard Lumu, the Mityana South legislator from the Democratic Party, to introduce a private member's bill, the Administration of Parliamentary Bill 2024.
The bill seeks, among other changes, to have the Leader of the Opposition (LOP) elected by opposition legislators, a move Lumu argues will correct what he views as a biased and undemocratic current system.
During a plenary session chaired by Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among in Gulu, Lumu advocated for opposition members to have the right to choose their Leader of the Opposition.
He stated that the existing system denies members the opportunity to elect their desired leadership, a practice that he argues is inconsistent with democratic principles observed globally.
"All over the world, people elect their leaders. The Pope is elected like other leaders. Why is the Leader of the Opposition not elected by all opposition members of Parliament?" Lumu questioned.
Lumu further criticized the current system, stating that some leaders appointed by the leading opposition party lack the necessary leadership skills, which undermines democracy within the opposition.
Currently, Joel Ssenyonyi serves as the Leader of the Opposition.
However, the proposal has met with resistance from some members of the National Unity Platform (NUP), the majority opposition party in Parliament. Kalungu West MP Gonzaga Ssewungu sharply criticized Lumu, suggesting that he is driven by excitement and self-interest.
"If you have an MP who thinks that staying in opposition requires bringing laws that govern opposition, let him enjoy that," Ssewungu stated.
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Mawogola South MP Gorreti Namugga accused NUP of internal divisions and asserted, "We are in opposition for life, but we will be in the next government soon."
Ssewungu also expressed concern about the motives of newer opposition members pushing for these changes.
"These are the people we are warning you about; they appear to be opposition members, but we shall see through them," he warned.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi condemned those in the opposition supporting Lumu's bill, accusing them of hiding behind corruption and vowing to continue holding the government and parliamentary leadership accountable.
"This is due to pressure exerted on them regarding accountability. They think this is a way to get rid of Ssenyonyi. I am not afraid of democratic processes, but I won't stop demanding accountability," Ssenyonyi stated.
This is not the first attempt to have the Leader of the Opposition elected by opposition legislators. In December 2018, Andrew Baryayanga, the then Kabale Municipality MP, received approval from Parliament to draft a private member's bill to amend the Administration of Parliamentary Act.
That bill sought to empower MPs to elect their own leadership in Parliament, challenging the current tradition that allows political parties to appoint their chosen leaders.
