As the race for the 11th Parliament Speaker heats up, a new parliament has set its eyes on beating Rebecca Kadaga and Jacob Oulanyah out of the hotly contested position of Parliament Speaker.
The new entrant buoyed by victory over Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi to win Bukoto Central seat, Richard Sebamala has announced plans to chair the biggest parliament in Uganda’s history.
Mr. Sebamala, an engineer by profession, and businessman, says the 11th Parliament has many new faces whom he banks on to win the tight race, which has seen the frontrunners resurrect old power squabbles.
“More than half of the new Parliament are newcomers and we don’t care about the old fights in Parliament. We want to service for people who sent us to represent them,” Sebamala told the Watchdog website. “It a parliament of New People, New Ideas,” he said.
The engineer who upset the establishment when he uprooted the Vice President from Masaka, told this website that the people who lined up for speakership have nothing new to add to Uganda.
“They have been in past parliaments that have cheated Ugandans. They have lost touch with the people and issues at the grassroots.” Sebamala said, asking rhetorically, “when is the last time these big people went to the markets, used taxis or Boda bodas to work, bought something from a street vendor… we deserve a brand new face.”
The race for speakership had so far attracted Kadaga the incumbent, Mr. Oulanyah her deputy, and Ssemujju Nganda (Opposition chief whip).
Sebamala believes a new wave has come into Uganda politics which he describes as a “new normal”.
“We are tired of the old way of doing things. The new wave dictates that someone in charge of parliaments needs to understand what ordinary Ugandans are going through, and the effect of parliament on ordinary Ugandans.”
“I have lived with ordinary people. We suffer exorbitant taxation, business roadblocks are simply too many for one to succeed, youth have no jobs, medication is pricy, name it, and what we are treated to in the race for speaker, are two old people fighting each other over past agreements or disagreements.
Sebamala promised to chair a parliament that legislates for ordinary Uganda.
He also said that he is also a leader who stands in the middle of two warring groups, and his speakership would therefore be about every individual MP, who represents people they care for dearly.
Who is Richard Sebamala?
Sebamala is a Ugandan civil engineer, businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He was born in 1979 in Bisanje, in present-day Masaka District, Central Uganda.
Early life and education
Sebamala was born in Bisanje in Buddu County, Masaka District in the central region of Uganda in 1979.
He studied at St Simon Nazareth Boarding Primary school Kanabulemu in Rakai District, Bukalasa Seminary Masaka, Namilyango College Mukono, and Jinja College. He joined Kyambogo University from where he graduated in 2005 with Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering. He also has Masters in Leadership and Management from Uganda Management Institute.
Career
Sebamala started his engineering career with Zzimwe Construction Company, a Ugandan road construction firm, before joining Iganga District Local Government as a principal executive engineer. He also worked with Multiplex where he was behind the renovation of over 28 health centers in districts of Kiruhula, Mbarara, Bushenyi, Isingiro, Ntugamo, and Kabale.
He now runs his own companies among is Multax Limited where he is a consultant for international civil engineering projects. His family also runs an import and export business in Kampala city. Sebamala is a philanthropist and community organizer. He is involved in promoting sporting activists, and community development projects in his home district of Masaka and across Uganda where he sponsors the education for over 200 children. He is also credited for mentoring many youths in business, politics, and leadership skills.
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