Arusha. He entered the House chamber and took his back seat as usual without any significant attention from both fellow members and staff in the Parliament.Members of the public, including the media lads who probably might not have known him in person, didn’t take much trouble other than wait for new developments of the crisis-ridden body.
Slightly less than an hour later, he left the chamber like a king bouquet of flowers in his hand as well as on his shoulders.
Almost every MP and other officials shook hands with him.
The rather shy, dark-skinned and slightly tall lawmaker from Uganda had been elected unopposed as the new Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala).
It was a moment of happiness, handshakes and exchange of friendly tones for the legislators as well as senior officials from the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat as they welcomed the new person to take charge of the regional Assembly.
For Daniel Fred Kidega, his election to head Eala may not have been expected even as the House moved from one level of crisis to another from the beginning of the year.
But it took him a few minutes to spell out the way forward for the troubled Parliament with him at the helm.
“Reconciliation and unity will be my priorities”, he told reporters immediately after he was sworn in. Another main task is for Eala to start working on the pending activities, including bills, when the House plunged into crisis from March this year.
Ever since it has not been able to transact business effectively owing to misunderstandings among its members.
It all began when a group of MPs accused the ousted Speaker Ms Margaret Nantongo Zziwa of abuse of office, incompetence, nepotism and misconduct, among a chain of allegations she has consistently denied.
At the age of 41, Kidega is among the youngest lawmakers in the regional Assembly although not the youngest Speaker in Eala.
One of his predecessors Abdirahim Haithar Abdi from Kenya was elected Speaker in 2007 at the age of 39. He stepped down after his five year term in 2012 to pave way for Ms Zziwa from Uganda.
“I will fight to restore the image of Eala through reconciliation and harmony among the MPs from all our five partner states”, he said, admitting that the image of the regional Parliament has been tainted by endless crisis.
Mr. Kidega, an Eala member from Uganda since 2007, was elected unopposed after three other candidates for the post from Uganda withdrew their names, with the then acting Speaker Chris Okumu-Opoka pulling out few hours before the verdict. Others were Suzan Nakauki and Mike Sebalu.
For the out-spoken Eala member from Kenya Peter Mathuki, the election of the new Speaker was a victory after a long struggle to impeach Ms Zziwa.
At different times from March to December this year,, the battle had been fought in the courts of law, specifically the East African Court of Justice (EACJ.
“We are very delighted as an Assembly and now our focus will be to redress the image of the Assembly”, he told the Political Platform, stressing that the credibility of the House had been eroded by endless crises he blamed on Ms Zziwa.
Tanzania’s deputy minister for East African Cooperation Dr. Abdulla Saadala, who stood for the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers and minister for EAC Samuel Sitta said the region has full confidence in the new Speaker.
He added that Tanzania had realized the leadership abilities of Mr. Kidega exhibited as a member of Eala’s Committee on Commerce, Trade and Investment during their recent visit to the port of Dar es Salaam.
Dr. Saadala admitted, however, that Tanzanian MPs were more divided on the saga on the embattled Speaker compared with those from four other partners in the bloc.
Some of the Eala lawmakers from Tanzania were openly in firm support of the embattled ousted Speaker while other fought for the immediate removal of Ms Zziwa.
“But that is democracy. At the end of the day, the House has unanimously elected a new Speaker”, the deputy minister said, adding that two of Zziwa’s staunchest supporters Fred Mutasa Mbidde and Suzan Nakauki seconded the nomination of Mr. Kidega when the latter’s name was read in the House.
The EAC deputy secretary general (Finance and Administration) Mr. Jean Claude Nsengiyumva said the Secretariat was now gratified that the crisis which nearly paralysed Eala, which is one of the organs of the Community was over.
In his acceptance speech after being sworn in the fourth Eala Speaker, Mr. Kidega pledged to honour the rules and regulations of the House “without fear or favour” in executing his responsibilities.
Prior to joining Eala, he was an MP in Uganda National Assembly on youth ticket. He holds a MSc. in International Trade Policy from Lund University in Sweden and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Arusha-based Esami, among other academic credentials.
The swearing in of Mr. Kidega was apparently seen as a relief for the troubled House and the entire EAC and its organs as lawmakers including those who had been in opposing camps on the saga and officials of the Secretariat shook hands and cracked jokes.
If his term is uninterrupted, Mr. Kidega though will serve as Eala for the shortest term than others. Tentatively his tenure will come to an end in mid-2017 when the tenure of third Eala and Uganda’s turn to hold the prestigious position, will end.
Previous Eala Speakers were Abdulrahman Kinana from Tanzania (2002-2007), Kenya’s Abdirahin Haithar Abdi (2007-2012) and Margaret Natongo Zziwa from Uganda.
The latter held the position from June 5th 2012 until December 5th, 2014 when she was suspended and officially voted out on December 17th. Mr Kidega is soft-spoken and his presence may sometimes skip the attention of those in a rush.
Yet he has been active in debates during countless sessions of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) ever since he joined the House in 2007.
No wonder his leadership potentials were vividly seen by fellow MPs when he was elected unopposed as the new Eala Speaker on Friday last week.
Although four MPs picked the nomination forms the previous day, only two contenders were validly nominated including Mr. Kidega.
He was, thereafter, elected unopposed after his main contender Chris Opoka-Okumu withdrew. Others who were in the race were Suzan Nakauki and Mike Sebalu, all from Uganda.
At exactly 3:56 pm, the Clerk of the Assembly declared Mr. Kidega duly elected and proceeded to administer the oath of Office of the Speaker.
In his acceptance speech, the new Speaker pledged to uphold the dignity of the House at all times and to apply the Rules without fear or favour.
“You will note as a House, we have a big and challenging task ahead of us to legislate and represent a Community whose activities and Membership is expanding fast,” Mr. Kidega said.
“I have no doubt we shall deliver. I will pick up from where my predecessors left and continue to promote the good ideals of our mandate of widening and deepening the integration process. In doing so, I will give the majority their way but respect and protect the rights of the minorities at all times”, he added.
At the age of 41, Kidega, becomes one of the youngest Speakers of the regional Parliament after Abdirahin Haithar Abdi from Kenya (2007-2012) who was elected in 2007 at the 38. According to the existing rules, the Eala Speaker has to serve in the position for five years. An MP will serve for a maximum of two five year term.
The new Speaker is serving his second stint having been a member since 2007. His tenure ends in 2012.
He has prior to that been an MP for Uganda National Assembly for a period of five (5) years (2001-2006) representing the youth.
Records indicate Mr. Kidega has been active in NRM politics and was a member of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s national campaign taskforce in 2001, and the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) member.
NRM or National Resistance Movement is the ruling political party in Uganda which came to power in 1986 after waging a five year bush war through its armed wing the National Resistance Army (NRA).
Mr. Kidega has also worked as a Private Secretary to the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda.
Prior to joining legislative work, he was a youth leader at different levels including being Chairman of the National Youth Council (NYC), National Representative to the Commonwealth Youth Forum (African Region). He is remembered in his days in school as a strong student activist.
The Speaker is also seen as an entrepreneur and has been engaged in the struggle against HIVAIDS and Women Empowerment in Uganda.
He obtained his first degree in Business Administration from Uganda Christian University. He holds a Master of Science Degree in International Trade Policy and Trade law. He is also a Diploma holder in Bio-Chemistry.
SOURCE: The Citizen
