By Mulengera Reporters
This Tuesday morning, female MPs converged at the Conference Hall of Parliament to elect new leaders for Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA). Sarah Opendi, formerly Tororo Woman MP, is the outgoing chairperson for UWOPA. It’s a lucrative position for which State Minister Mary Kutesa Kamuli (for culture) is competing with Lira Woman MP Auma Linda. They are both NRM, the ruling party which is destined to once again produce the winner given its numerical strength.
Linda has an upper hand because she is a veteran in the UWOPA universe unlike Kutesa, a well accomplished lawyer and corporate, who is disadvantaged by the fact that she is new and in her first term as Mwenge County South MP. Otherwise, Kutesa would be a good pick and would help to raise the profile of UWOPA, if she were to be given chance to become the new Chairperson.
UWOPA bosses have always been NRM, save for Betty Amongi, the UPC first lady, who more than 15 years ago made history defeating Rosemary Nyakikongoro, a diehard Musevenist who had the active backing of First Lady Janet Museveni who as of that time was a UWOPA member in her capacity as Ruhaama County MP. Amongi’s victory humiliated the NRM and angered Museveni who realized she was an effective mobilizer and subsequently crafted her into his cabinet.
Convinced that they stand no chance in today’s increasingly toxicated politics, the opposition NUP didn’t bother expending their efforts on things which are clearly beyond their reach. Even when they have giants like Betty Nambooze who have been in Parliament for an eternity, the Kavule party avoided the key UWOPA positions and instead had their Betty Ethel Naluyima and Sheila Draville Amaniyo go for peripheral positions such as that of UWOP Publicity Secretary and that of Treasurer. Renowned for her eloquence and vibe, Naluyima went for publicity and Amaniyo for the treasurer role.
One only hopes that the majority NRM MPs, for once, realize the importance of bipartisanship and inclusiveness by walking across the aisle to vote for their two well-intentioned colleagues from the opposition as opposed to totally alienating Gen Museveni’s opponents in such a very pivotal association, to which all female MPs ordinarily belong. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
