By Mulengera Reporters
There was euphoria and enthusiasm as members of the 12th Parliament received their new Speaker Jacob Oboth-Oboth and showered him with love. The House was fully parked as legislators gathered for their maiden session.
There was visible joy everywhere as journalists, who had been gagged, harangued and intimidated for years, freely roamed around while going about their work without any of them fearing retribution from people in the Speaker’s universe. Reading from their faces, many MPs (having been suffocated and made to live under fear for all those years) seemed rejuvenated and hopeful for good outcomes under their leadership of their new beloved Speaker.
In his inaugural communication from the chair, Oboth-Oboth cracked jokes and assured MPs all will be well. He made it clear the Parliamentary Commission he chairs will leave no stone unturned in its efforts to redeem the image of Parliament while facilitating MPs to effectively do their work. He said the institution would prioritize investing in research to enable members qualitatively participate in plenary debates and Committee sessions.
The people’s beloved Speaker had just moved out briefly to allow the technical team to reorganize the public address system to enable him communicate audibly. There had been a short circuiting incident which had disrupted the public address system. The first person Oboth-Oboth chose to speak on his first day on the job was Betty Nambooze who he proudly and respectfully introduced as his own MP because she represents Mukono Municipality where he too has his residence. He made it clear this is his MP as well.
There was plenty of jokes and banter including when Betty Nambooze sarcastically welcomed ‘defections’ by NRM MPs who chose to sit on the opposition side, having failed to get where to sit because of the high numbers in which the MPs turned up. Unlike his predecessor, Oboth-Oboth intently and patiently listened as Nambooze dragged on making her point.
He then cracked ribs causing laughter when he told Nambooze her wish couldn’t be immediately enforced because of the fact that her own party NUP hadn’t yet submitted their list of leaders to lead the team in form of LoP and others. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
