Excitement filled the Speaker’s Chambers yesterday as Erias Nalukoola was sworn in as the newly elected Member of Parliament for Kawempe North.
The oath-taking ceremony took place at around 12 PM local time on Wednesday, in the Speaker’s chambers, presided over by Speaker Anita Among, as Parliament is currently in recess to address policy statements.
Speaker Among explained that the swearing-in was conducted in her chambers to ensure the people of Kawempe North were not left without representation.
“We would not want to deprive the good people of Kawempe representation, which is why we are swearing him in here. We swear you in because the law requires it,” she stated.
She further clarified that with the swearing-in, Nalukoola is now a full member of the 11th Parliament and is entitled to all the privileges of an MP, including a vehicle and fuel allowance.
The swearing-in process was facilitated by the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, who introduced Nalukoola. After taking the oath to defend the Constitution of Uganda, Nalukoola ended with the words, “So help me Allah,” before being handed a copy of the Constitution and the parliamentary rules of procedure.
Nalukoola, who won the election with 17,980 votes, was accompanied by his father and other notable figures, including Hajj Takuba and Anthony Asiimwe, Vice President of the Uganda Law Society.
In his speech, Nalukoola expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Kawempe North, emphasizing the long period the constituency had gone without a representative and the pressing issues facing its residents, especially the ongoing floods.
Speaker Among acknowledged the concerns raised, and Ssenyonyi expressed satisfaction with the outcome, despite the challenges around the election process. He referred to Kawempe North as a “battlefront” and reaffirmed their commitment to the constituency.
With Nalukoola’s swearing-in, Kawempe North now has a voice in Parliament, ensuring that the constituency’s interests are represented in national decision-making.
