(Kampala) – Former Justice Minister Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu has put forward a proposal to amend the law regarding the selection of the Leader of the Opposition (LOP) in Parliament. Kamuntu’s suggestion, made during a media briefing on September 1, 2024, at Hotel Africana in Kampala, calls for the leader of the Opposition party with the highest number of Members of Parliament (MPs) to automatically become the LOP. This proposal comes in response to a recent initiative by Mityana South MP Richard Lumu, who has advocated for the LOP to be elected by Opposition MPs.
Currently, the LOP is selected from the party with the largest number of MPs in Opposition to the Government, according to the Administration of Parliament Act. Kamuntu argues that this method of selection creates tension and inefficiencies between the LOP and the party leader. He believes that making the leader of the largest Opposition party the LOP would resolve conflicts and enhance parliamentary effectiveness.
Kamuntu pointed out historical examples of conflicts within political parties, such as the 1962 situation involving Democratic Party leader Benedicto Kiwanuka and secretary general Basil Bataringaya, as well as current frictions between the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi and former LOP Mathias Mpunga. Kamuntu contends that these issues highlight the need for a revised approach to selecting the LOP.
Political analysts have observed that the current LOP, Joel Senyonyi, has faced challenges in balancing his role with the expectations of his party leader and working effectively with other legislators. Kamuntu believes that his proposed changes would address these problems better than Lumu’s bill, which seeks to elect the LOP directly from among Opposition MPs.
