The nomination attempt by Hon. Yusuf Kiruluuta Junior Nkerettanyi, the National Unity Platform (NUP) MP for Kalungu East, to front Hon. Godfrey Aine Kaguta (Mawogola North) for Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament collapsed after it failed to meet basic parliamentary nomination requirements.
Under Parliament’s rules, any candidate for Speaker or Deputy Speaker must be formally nominated by one Member of Parliament and seconded by another. In this case, although Kiruluuta stood to propose Kaguta’s name, no seconder came forward, meaning the nomination could not be recorded or validated by the House.
The incident highlights how tightly regulated the leadership election process is, where even symbolic or strategic nominations must strictly comply with procedure before being considered.
In the same session, the race for Deputy Speaker gained momentum as Hon. Thomas Tayebwa was duly nominated without contesting procedural hurdles.
His nomination was moved by Nebbi District Woman MP Phiona Nyamutoro and seconded by Buvuma Islands MP Robert Migadde, satisfying all formal requirements for consideration.
Political observers note that such failed or symbolic nominations are sometimes used to signal political positioning or test support within the House, even when they are unlikely to succeed.
However, without a seconder, they carry no procedural weight and cannot advance in the electoral process.
The Deputy Speaker election is part of the broader leadership selection shaping the 12th Parliament, which is expected to define committee leadership and legislative direction for the coming term.