Okot went to Amuca SDA for primary school, Aputi Senior Secondary school for O’Level..
By Milton Emmy Akwam
Kampala – March 26, 2022: Members of Parliament on Friday, March 25, 2022, elected the new speaker and deputy speaker of the 11th Parliament.
Both positions fell vacant after the abrupt death of the former speaker Jacob Oulanyah and the resignation of the then deputy speaker Annet Anita Among.
The two offices attracted two candidates from the ruling NRM party and one endorsed by the opposition coalition.
For the speaker, NRM’s Anite Annet Among [former deputy speaker and Bukedea district Woman MP] competed with Asuman Basalirwa [Bugiri Municipality MP]. Anita, however, beat Asuman, who is also the JEEMA party president with 401 votes to 66.
Among has now replaced Jacob Oulanyah (RIP) who died in the United States of America last weekend.
A few minutes after she officially took her seat, Anita presided over the election of the deputy speaker. NRM had earlier on Thursday endorsed Thomas Tayebwa who would later resign as the Government Chief Whip.
The opposition MPs, in their meeting a day before had endorsed the Kyoga County MP, Okot Moses Junior Bitek. Okot is the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) MP in the 11th Parliament.
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While Tayebwa, the Ruhinda North MP in Mitooma district won the deputy speakership’s race with 379 votes to Okot’s 82 votes, TND News recollects the [academic] profile and leadership experience of the FDC man who has performed somewhat well in his first attempt.
Bitek was born to Mr. Angiro John a retired headteacher and Imat Keller Angiro of the Okarowok clan. [Clan of the deceased former speaker].
While he is in the opposition, his mother, the current chairperson of the NRM Women’s League of Amolatar has served the NRM government diligently.
Okot went to Amuca SDA for primary school, Aputi Senior Secondary school for O’Level, Gombe SS for A’Level, Makerere University for LLB or Legium Bacheloris and Law Development Centre for a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
In the 2021 general elections, Okot was elected Member of Parliament of Kioga County on the FDC ticket. He was appointed a member of the Defense and Human Rights Committees.
Before he came to Parliament, Okot Bitek engaged in politics of activism specifically human rights activism targeting the rights of fishermen of Lake Kyoga.
For his activism, in 2015, he was shot in the leg by a bodyguard to the then RDC of Amolatar. Some constituents say the overwhelming votes he got were to appreciate his “sacrifices and availability to their predicament”.
Okot’s parliamentary and previous roles are summarized below:
Deputy Chairperson, Lango Parliamentary Caucus (2021 – To date)
Responsibilities
- Organizing and whipping members of Lango Parliamentary Group in the 11th Parliament
Member of Parliament, Kioga County (2020 – To date)
Responsibilities
● Legislation (check after the group photo).
Debating and passing laws through which the institutions of government endeavor to guide the country’s process towards good governance. Pre-legislative scrutiny of bills
● Budget Approval/ Appropriation
Analyze and approve the national Budget every financial year, giving legislative sanctions to taxation and acquisition of loans, scrutinizing the various objects of expenditure and sums to be spent on each.
● Oversight
Monitor and bring to the attention of ministers and the public government misuse of funds, violations of rule of law and unlawful activities, assuring transparency and accountability in the application of public funds, and monitoring the implementation of government programs and projects.
● Representation
Represent the constituents’ views in Parliament and bring to the attention of relevant Ministers different matters of national concern.
● Constituency outreach
Hold consultative meetings with constituents to update them on the activities of Parliament and Government Policies, and gather their views and concerns on issues that affect their livelihood.
Member of the Committee of Defense and Internal Affairs (2021 – To date)
Member of the Committee of Human Rights (2021 – To date)
Guild President, Law Development Center (2016 – 2017)
Chairperson of the Forum for Democratic Change – MUK (2010 – 2011)
An Associate at Oloya & Company Advocates (2017 – 2020)