Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement parliamentary caucus has unanimously endorsed Jacob Oboth Oboth for Speaker and Thomas Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament following a high-level meeting chaired by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House Entebbe yesterday.
The endorsement formally settles weeks of intense internal consultations and political manoeuvring within the ruling party following the withdrawal of former Speaker Anita Annet Among from the Speakership race amid mounting pressure and ongoing investigations into allegations linked to corruption and wealth declaration.
The meeting, attended by newly elected NRM legislators and independent MPs cooperating with the ruling party, was widely seen as a critical moment for restoring cohesion within the NRM after days of political uncertainty surrounding the leadership of Parliament.
Museveni reportedly used the meeting to rally MPs around party unity and discipline ahead of today’s election of parliamentary leaders during the first sitting of the 12th Parliament at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
Oboth-Oboth’s endorsement marks a significant rise for the West Budama Central MP and current Defence Minister, who emerged as the preferred candidate after Among stepped aside from the race.
Tayebwa, meanwhile, retains the backing of the party establishment after serving as Deputy Speaker since 2022 following the death of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah.
Several other NRM legislators had earlier expressed interest in the Deputy Speaker position, including Lilian Aber, Mary Kamuli Kuteesa, Edward Makmot Otto, Marshall Alenyo and Adrine Katusiime Mwebesa.
The NRM also confirms that both Oboth and Tayebwa would face candidates from other political parties during the formal election process at Kololo. The outcome of yesterday’s meeting signals an attempt by the ruling party leadership to stabilise Parliament’s leadership structure ahead of the new term after weeks of unusually intense political tension within the NRM.
By Chimpreport
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