Erias Nalukoola has officially been sworn in as the Member of Parliament for Kawempe North. The ceremony, held in the Speaker’s chambers, was presided over by Speaker Anita Among, as Parliament remains in recess to address ongoing policy statements.
Speaker Among explained that the decision to conduct the swearing-in privately was to ensure that the people of Kawempe North did not remain unrepresented. “We would not want to deprive the good people of Kawempe representation, which is why we are swearing him in my chambers. We swear you in because the law compels us,” she stated.
The swearing-in was facilitated by the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, who officially presented Nalukoola. After taking the oath and pledging to defend the Constitution of Uganda, Nalukoola concluded with the words, “So help me Allah.” He was then handed a copy of the Constitution and the parliamentary rules of procedure.
Nalukoola, who won the by-election with 17,980 votes, was accompanied by his father and prominent dignitaries, including Hajj Takuba and Anthony Asiimwe, the Vice President of the Uganda Law Society.
Speaker Among further clarified that Nalukoola would now be a full member of the 11th Parliament, entitled to all privileges, including a vehicle and fuel.
While acknowledging concerns about the informal setting, Ssenyonyi expressed satisfaction that Nalukoola had been sworn in despite the challenges surrounding the election.
