By John Mary Odoy
The Rt. Hon Oboth Jacob Oboth rose to helm of Parliament in May 2026. It appears he is suitable for the job of a parliament that is running properly and I have no doubt that he would perform excellently well if left to do his work without interference. Unfortunately, he comes in at a time when there are several individual interested from some personalities. He begins his speakership journey during an era where there is a heated political talk about the transition from a person who has held the office of President of Uganda for over 40 years to his son. A transition widely seen to be by imposition and coercion and not concession.
The unpopular transition scheme has met a substantial amount of resistance because the person being fronted does not meet the test of a leader that Ugandans deserve and desire. The person whose administration, management and governance competences are doubted is the one being fronted to become the new leaders moreover he is the son of a person who has ruled the country for decades with negligible socio-economic improvements and with massive failures in governance, human rights and with an iron fist. The outcome of the bad rule has been abject poverty, increased mental health cases, high levels of abduction and torture, incarceration of the innocent and untold number of deaths. In view of the above, no sane Ugandan will accept extended family governance characterised by such a sequence of events.
The over 50-year-old son’s accession to power through civil means does not seem feasible. What is being observed is the use of threats, intimidation, manipulation, torture, death and other crude means to access the highest office in the land. Ugandans are watching. They are in fear. They feel powerless. They seem to have given up. There is literally nothing working for Ugandans. All institutions including courts of law, the parliament, electoral commission, police and several others have been disabled. What is unfortunate is that the death of the institutions has been going overtime but of recent, a social media posting from the son of a president has become law.
One of the social media utterance is about change of leadership of the already well constituted opposition leadership in parliament. The legal parliamentary process that gets the Leader of Opposition into that office has been running for decades as acceptable norm. The persons holding the office are expected to do their job as expected and in the current holder of that office has done excellent job. He is analytical, bold, truthful and straight forward. The national echo indicated that he is up to his job. He is appreciated for the job well done. A social media message came through recently from the son of the president to the effect that he should be removed and that the process that gets that person in that office should change with the intention or removing properly constituted Leader of Opposition.
It is trending in the media that there are members of parliament now working on that process. What is of concern and critical is that a social media message by an angry individual triggers off such an action and sends panic to institution of parliament. If the Speaker of Parliament and the rest of the members have been lowered to that level, then there is no parliament in Uganda. This is the first examination our dear beloved Rt Hon Speaker is to sit for. Passing this examination calls for being principled, bold, and up to the task keeping parliament a respected institution. Bending to the whims of an individual will be a big FAIL and will be end of life as an honourable person for the Hon. Oboth. You are free to pass the Exam or Fail. Dr. John Mary Odoy, Senior Citizen. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
