Why Speaker Among blocked Semujju Nganda's replacement as FDC whip

Among wrote to the FDC Secretary General Nathan Nandala Mafabi, informing him that she could not follow through with the replacement of Nganda with Hon Yusuf Nsibambi unless the party fixed up its internal disputes that led to the change.

Her decision followed a petition by a section of party MPs who complained about the circumstances leading up to Ssemujju’s replacement.

The MPs complained to the Speaker in an August 14th petition, that Najjanankumbi had not followed the laid down procedures in appointing Hon Nsibambi as whip.

As such, Speaker Among said the FDC needed to iron out these squabbles first.

“While these are internal party matters, they affect the harmony, cohesion and operation of Parliament. I am therefore unable to effect 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 informed Nandala.

The FDC legislators who petitioned the Speaker include among others, Hon Mwijukye Francis, Nyakato Asinansi, Nicholas Kamara, Denis Onekalit, Naboth Namanya, Moses Kabuusu, Harold Muhindo, and Atkins Katushabe.

These legislators had right from the onset rejected the replacement of Nganda, and vowed not to accept the Mawokota MP, Nsibambi as their whip. 

Bukonjo West MP Hon Katusabe said he even talked to Nsibambi advising him to turn down the appointment.

“I found him here at Parliament and told him and said Mr Nsibambi, I see people congratulating you but I'm not going to be among them,” Katusabe told the press on Tuesday last week.

“I told him not to take that post because this is not the time to be getting involved in things that don’t move us forward.”

Even when Nsibambi accepted the appointment, Katusabe said there was still time for him to reverse course and rid himself of the trouble that lies ahead.

“Our whip is there, he is Hon Ssemujju… the one who removed him has no authority anymore because all party members around the country don't recognize him as Secretary General.”

In their petition to the Speaker, the MPs stated that Ssemujju’s replacement was done in violation of the internal rules and procedures of the party. 

They told the speaker that they are members of the National Executive Committee of the Forum for Democratic Change and long-standing members of the party and that the decision was not in compliance with the internal party processes as there was no decision from the National Executive Committee, National Council or National Delegates Conference upon which such a decision would be 

“The Secretary General has no constitutional mandate whatsoever to take a decision of such a matter as his role is only limited at communicating a decision or position reached at by the National Executive Committee, National Council or National Delegates Conference of the party, which was not the case in this matter,” they wrote.

“As a result, any decision unilaterally communicated by the Secretary General without involvement and decision of the aforementioned party organs is illegal and as a consequence ultra wires. It is of no consequence! No wonder, unlike in previous instances where leadership changes have been communicated, in this case, no meeting or legal provision is cited as having informed or enabled this change. 

“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 had 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 illegality,” the MPs implored.

The FDC leadership was yet to respond to the Speaker’s decision.