Kasese Woman MP Winnie Kiiza has been unveiled as nominee for the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Chimp Corps exclusively report.
Kiira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has taken the slot of Chief Whip while Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal will serve as Commissioner.
The new nominations were revealed by FDC party President Maj Gen Mugisha Muntu at the FDC headquarters during the ongoing NEC Working Committee meeting.
The Working Committee is attended by the Party President; Chairman; head of legal, Mobilisation Secretary; Secretaries For Youth and Women; Secretary General, Treasury General and Electoral Commission.
Sources say Muntu first called the trio to his office purposely to communicate his decision.
Muntu also intended to obtain assurance that the FDC MPs were comfortable working in those positions.
The nominees will be vetted by the FDC National Executive Committee.
Officials said the trio will most likely be endorsed for the positions.
“I don’t think these people will be rejected. They have the potential and charisma to represent our interests in Parliament,” said a source who preferred anonymity so as to speak freely.
The trio will later hold meetings to select members who will sit on several oversight commissions such as Public Accounts Committee.
The new development marks an end to the internal conflict over whether FDC should take the position of Leader of Opposition.
A radical wing within the party had argued that such a move would water down acts of defiance including the refusal to recognise President Museveni as the legitimately elected leader of Uganda.
By accepting to name the Leader of Opposition, the party has now agreed to recognise its position as ‘opposition’.
Torn between two worlds
During this week’s press briefing in Kampala, Ssemujju Nganda observed that while FDC doesn’t have the majority MPs in Parliament, they did win the February 18 Presidential elections and are therefore the ruling and not opposition party.
Former Presidential candidate Prof Venansius Baryamureeba alias Barya, warned the opposition FDC would lose influence if it turned down the privilege of appointing the LoP.
He said the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP) is a very important and strategic position with an annual budget over Shs 2 billion some of which end up at the party headquarters in one way or the other.
“LOP appoints chairpersons and vice chairpersons of accountability committees in parliament. These are also very strategic positions to keep a party politically relevant and it would be a great mistake if FDC lost the control of accountability committees,” said the former Makerere Vice Chancellor.