EALA Due to Elect New Speaker

The East African legislative assembly resumes this afternoon to elect a new speaker following the impeachment of Margaret Nantongo Zziwa on Wednesday.

Zziwa's impeachment followed overwhelming support of the Motion for removal of the Speaker by 36 to 2 votes on the floor of the Assembly upon which the Clerk of Assembly moved to declare the seat vacant. Zziwa was accused of abuse of office, Incompetence and Disrespect.

The assembly expected to obtain names of candidates for the election of Speaker within 48 hours from the time of the declaration in accordance with Article 7 of the Rules of Procedure.

Four Ugandan representatives have picked nomination forms to vie for the post of speaker for the assembly. They Include Mike Kennedy Sebalu, Suzan Nakawuki, Chris Okumu Opoka and Daniel Kidega.

Bobi Odiko, the Senior Public Relations Officer of the assembly says the election due to take place at 3.30 p.m. shall be by secret ballot.  Whoever wins the poll will lead the assembly until 2017, when Uganda's rotational term ends.

Guidelines for the Election of the Speaker.

The Speaker of the EALA is elected by the Members from among their number on rotational basis. No business is transacted in the House other than an election of the Speaker at any time the office of the Speaker is vacant.

The names of candidates for election to the office of Speaker are entered upon nomination papers obtained from and handed to the Clerk at least forty-eight hours before the time appointed at which the House is to meet to elect a Speaker and are accompanied in each case by the signatures of two Members who support the candidate and a declaration by them that the candidate is willing to serve.

No Member is proposed as a Speaker unless that Member has given his or her consent to the nomination in writing and handed to the Clerk. The election of a Speaker is by secret ballot, with the Clerk presiding at the election of a Speaker.

At an election of a Speaker the Clerk invites nominations from Members present. However, if only one person is nominated, he or she shall be declared elected and conducted to the Chair.

Voting is in the following manner:

The Clerk prepares, at least one hour before the meeting of the House, ballot papers upon which will be shown the names of all candidates validly nominated, and issues not more than one such paper to each Member who comes to the Table to obtain but a Member who before the conclusion of a ballot has marked his or her paper in error, may by returning it to the Clerk obtain another in its place, and Clerk shall immediately cancel and destroy the paper so returned.

After all Members who wish to vote have voted, the Clerk then, in full view of the Members present, empties the ballot box and immediately counts the ballot papers contained in it;

Upon completion of counting, the Clerk then announces the result of the ballot specifying:-

(i)       The total number of ballot papers contained in the ballot box;

(ii)     The total number of Members who have abstained from voting;

(iii)    The number of both spoilt and blank papers; and

(iv)    The number of votes obtained by each nominee;

A Member shall not be elected as Speaker unless he or she is supported by votes of two-thirds of all Members of the House and if no candidate is supported by the votes of two-thirds of all Members a further ballot shall be held between the first two candidates.

And if in the second ballot no candidate is supported by the votes of two-thirds of all Members, the candidate who in that ballot receives the highest number of votes shall be declared elected.

A candidate may by written notice to the Clerk, withdraw his or her name before a ballot is started, and in the event of such withdrawal, the Clerk shall delete the name of that candidate from any ballot papers issued for that or any subsequent ballot;

Immediately following the election of a Speaker, the Clerk shall administer to a person elected Oath or Affirmation of Office.