Speaker Anita Among dismissed the appointment of Francis Zaake, the Member of Parliament for Mityana Municipality, as the deputy Opposition Chief Whip, asserting that the position does not exist within the parliamentary rules and procedures. The incident unfolded during a plenary sitting on Tuesday when the Opposition Chief Whip, John Baptist Nambeshe, announced the leadership changes within their camp.
As Mr. Nambeshe disclosed the new assignments, he mentioned that Zaake would be appointed as the deputy Opposition Chief Whip. However, Speaker Among promptly intervened, directing Nambeshe to withdraw the statement, emphasizing that such a position is not recognized in the Rules of Procedure.
In response to the Speaker’s directive, Nambeshe withdrew the statement, adhering to parliamentary protocol. The Rules of Procedure, specifically Section 15, outline the roles and responsibilities of whips in Parliament. According to these rules, there is a Chief Opposition Whip appointed by the party in opposition with the highest numerical strength, but no provision for a deputy Chief Opposition Whip.
Francis Zaake, who was not available for immediate comment, had previously posted on social media expressing gratitude for being nominated for multiple positions, including Deputy Chief Whip, Minister for Presidency, and Security. However, Zaake will now serve as the shadow minister for Presidency and Security for the Opposition.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, addressed the matter, stating that not all responsibilities are explicitly outlined in the law books. He defended the creation of roles such as the deputy Chief Opposition Whip, asserting that it eases their work. Ssenyonyi did not provide details on the next steps the Opposition plans to take to address the issue.
