Women activists under the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) have asked President Museveni and members of parliament to ease the pressure mounted on Rebecca Kadaga.
The remarks come as underground work for the speakership of the 11th Parliament rages on with Kadaga and her deputy Jacob Oulanyah having already formed core teams to reach out to MPs-elect ahead of the election scheduled for May 20.
For Kadaga and Oulanyah, it is likely to be a long-drawn-out battle as as both will have to first undergo vetting by the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) with endorsement to the NRM parliamentary caucus.
While addressing the media regarding the heated race, women activists asked members of the 11th parliament to elect a female speaker to head the legislative arm of government.
The group that was led by Solome Nakaweesi, noted that Kadaga’s long stay in office is not a big issue since other leaders have also stayed even longer in power and have no signs of leaving soon.
“If you talk about even those who are asking her to leave, for instance the male candidates, some of them have been in parliament for more than two terms. Who is holding the space?” she asked.
Nakaweesi explained that it is unfair for anyone to rebuke Kadaga and yet the country is short of women leaders who are in such top positions.
“We have groomed more women to take up top positions and we are not short of women that can head not only as deputies. We are demanding for full positions not for the deputising positions,” she stated.
Perry Aritua, the executive director Women’s Democracy Network said that more women should occupy top positions in government adding that it’s unfortunate to see people pulling down Kadaga.
“We can’t claim to be progressive when it comes to gender equality. Out of the four people in race, she (Kadaga) is the only female.We are saying that we need her in that position,” said Aritua.
The activists said that they are supporting Kadaga not because she is a women but because of her capacity to handle that office.
The speakership race has so far attracted four people including the current deputy speaker Jacob Oulanya, FDC’s Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and DP’s Richard Sebamala.
