The Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among has reinstated MP for Kira Municipality, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda as the Whip for FDC in Parliament.

This is contrary to the letter dated August 7, 2023, addressed to Speaker, where Nathan Nandala Mafabi as the Party Secretary General replaced Ssemujju Nganda as Party Whip with MP Yusuf Nsibambi.

Speaker Among declined to relieve Ssemujju of his position after some MPs petitioned Parliament asking to halt the changes, and accusing Mafabi of taking the decision without consulting the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

“I am in receipt of a petition by several Members of Parliament from FDC, challenging the removal of Hon Ssemujju as the Forum for Democratic Change party whip in Parliament on the grounds that it was done in violation of the internal rules and procedures of the party,” Among said.

According to the Speaker, section 6J (1) of the Administration of Parliament Act and Rule 15 (7) of the Rules of Procedure require a party in opposition to appoint its whip. However the petition states that the party did not sit through its organs to take a decision to withdraw and replace the current whip.

With all the facts stated in the petition letter, she confirmed Ssemuju as the party whip until any changes are made.

“I am therefore unable to effect 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,” she added.

This development was confirmed in a letter dated August 16, 2023, addressed to Nathan Nandala Mafabi from Speaker Among.