Former Kabula County Member of Parliament James Kakooza has been voted by the NRM parliamentary caucus to fill the vacant East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP slot that has been vacant following the death of Mathias Kasamba who passed on in April this year.
Kasamba’s tenure was supposed to run up to the end of 2022, which means that Uganda had to find his replacement.
Ruling party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) a few days ago reduced the number of candidates who had expressed interest in the position from 26 to five before submitting the names to the caucus for voting.
The candidates included former state minister for tourism Godfrey Kiwanda Ssuubi, Kakooza, Mawuye Lule (Former MP Kalungu East County), Nakato Kyabanji (former Gombe Woman MP) and Abas Mutumba (former political assistant to the late Kasamba).
On Friday, Members of the NRM parliamentary caucus gathered at Kololo Independence grounds for voting.
Out of the total 237 votes cast, Kakooza garnered 93 to emerge winner, followed by Kiwanda with 85 and Mutumba came third with 54 votes.
“I therefore declare Kakooza James who has polled the highest number of votes (93) representing 39.2% as duly elected Member of Parliament to the East African Legislative Assembly,” said Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission Chairman.
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