More than 600 workers delegates yesterday convened at Kibuli Secondary School in Kampala Capital, where they elected five people who will represent them in Parliament. The positions included one National Female Workers Representative that attracted four candidates, and the four workers MPs that had 21 contenders. Ms Fiona Nakku, a National Resistance Movement-leaning independent candidate, trounced the incumbent and the party official flag bearer Agnes Kunihira Abwoli to win the National Female Workers Representative seat. Ms Nakku was declared the winner after garnering 290 votes against Ms Abwoli’s 287 votes.
Other contestants in the race were Abigail Atukunda, who scored 27 votes, and Phina Mugerwa Masanyalaze who got only one vote, which is believed to be hers. Those who won include Annet Burungi of NRM (358 votes), Independent candidate Agaba Gilbert (351 votes). Incumbent Arinaitwe Rwakajara (289 votes), incumbent Margaret Namubiru (207 votes). Incumbent Charles Bakkabulindi did not seek re-election. The incumbents who lost include Agnes Kunihira Abwoli (National Female Workers MP), Byakatonda Abdulhu Ms Nakku, a first-timer, turned her focus on the National Female Workers Representative seat after the party disqualified her from the NRM’s National Female MP Youth race after it was discovered that she was above the 30-year age cap.
NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi in July had disqualified Nakku from contesting for the position of National Female Youth Member of Parliament flag-bearer after the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) confirmed that she is above the youth age limit. Nakku had previously contested for the Busia District Woman MP seat in 2021 but lost.
Promise
Speaking to the Daily Monitor yesterday, Ms Nakku said that she would ensure that the workers’ issues are handled swiftly by the government. ‘We have workers who walk long distances to go to their workplaces, especially factories but you find when they are paid Shs3,000 per day, which is too low. And on this low pay, the workers are not allowed to have sick leave. So their situation is dire and need urgent response that can only be done through proper legislation,’ she said She added: ‘My other focus is salary disparities among the science and arts teachers, which is affecting the learners.
All the teachers are doing their same job and their needs are alike, for example they buy in the same market, go to the same health centres, take their children to the same schools and thus they need to have a fair and equal pay.’ Like Fiona, Rwakajara also said he will continue advocating for the rights of workers. ‘We shall ensure that we implement our manifesto that is aimed at solving the challenges that are affecting workers in Uganda,’ he said. The elected Workers MPs joined the Directly Elected Representatives and District Women MPs who were elected on Thursday January 15, and declared between Friday and Saturday.
Other Special Interest Groups representatives including the regional Youth MPs, national Female Older Persons MPs, and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) MPs will be elected on January 28. Others including the Persons Living with Disabilities MPs and the National Female Youths Representative will be elected on February 3, and 6 respectively. Parliament numbers Upon completion of all polls, the Parliament will now be fully represented with 529 members.