The Speaker of parliament Anita Among has declined the recent sacking of Ssemujju Nganda as the FDC party whip in parliament, on the premise that the changes lack proof of consent from relevant party organs and therefore illegal.
Among was responding to a letter signed by FDC Secretary General Hon. Nandala Mafabi, withdrawing Hon. Ssemuju Nganda and replacing him with Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi as the new FDC whip. In the letter issued last week and addressed to the Speaker of parliament, Mafabi indicated that the changes took immediate effect.
In her response, Among refers to a petition filed by FDC MPs urging her to ignore the changes communicated by Nandala Mafabi, claiming he has no powers to sack Ssemujju. The 9 petitioners, all MPs and members of the FDC National Executive Committee noted that in Nandala’s letter which sacked Ssemujju, no meeting or legal provisions is cited as having informed or enabled the changes in party leadership in parliament.
In her response, Among consents with the petitioners noting that unlike in the past, no meeting of a party organ was mentioned in Nandala’s communication as having taken a decision, yet it has serious consequences on workings of the legislature.
In a 7th August 2023 petition signed by FDC MPs including Francis Mwijukye, Nyakato Asinansi, Muhindo Harlod, Kabusu Moses, Atkins Katusabe, Kamara Nicholas Thaddeus, the leaders contend that Nandala Mafabi has no Constitutional mandate whatsoever to take a decision of such a matter as his role is only limited to communicating a decision or position reached by the National Executive Committee, National Council or National Delegates Conference of the party which was not the case in this matter.
“…any decision unilaterally communicated by the Secretary General without involvement and decision of the party organs is illegal and as a consequence ultra vires. Therefore, the decision communicated to you by the Secretary General withdrawing Hon Ssemujju Nganda and appointing Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi as FDC Parliamentary whip is devoid of the requisite legal foundation and was communicated by a person who as no locus whatsoever. We therefore implore you not to recognize the communication made to you by the Secretary General or even place the same before the house for its consideration as the same would amount to perpetuating an illegality” The petitioners noted.
“The above not withstanding, while these are internal party matters, they affect the harmony , cohesion and operation of parliament. I am therefore unable to affect your communication until the matters raised by the petitioners have been resolved and a communication made to that effect to avoid legal consequences of the same and disruption of parliamentary business” Among told Nandala.
In response to the speaker’s decision, Nsibambi expressed objection to the speaker’s position claiming there was no illegality and he accepted the position after thorough scrutiny of the matter. He also claimed the petitioners’ motive is to destabilize the party which he founded.
In an interview with the press, Ssemujju Nganda expressed no gratitude for the speaker’s decision saying it is not worthwhile to fight for a small position as party whip and he wonders why Nandala and Patrick Amuriat are fighting to relive him of the position in parliament.
