Bushenyi, Uganda: Hajj Iddi Bassajja, the son of prominent businessman and NRM power broker Al-Hajj Hassan Basajjabalaba, has declared his bid for Deputy Speaker of Parliament, just days after being elected Member of Parliament for Ishaka Municipality in the January 15, 2026, polls.
Bassajja announced his intention in a Wednesday statement, thanking voters for the mandate and formally declaring his candidature for the Deputy Speakership of the 11th Parliament (2026–2031), pledging principled and inclusive leadership grounded in constitutionalism and national service.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to the people of Bushenyi–Ishaka Municipality for the trust and mandate you gave me… I hereby declare my candidature for the position of Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda 2026–2031,” Bassajja said.
Bassajja’s declaration immediately places him at the centre of high-level parliamentary succession politics, particularly amid uncertainty surrounding the current Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Thomas Tayebwa.
Tayebwa, who has served as Deputy Speaker since 2022, has not publicly expressed interest in seeking re-election to the position or mounting a challenge for the Speakership currently held by his boss, Rt Hon Anita Annet Among.
Bassajja’s early declaration signals a generational and political statement within the ruling party’s parliamentary ranks, positioning him as a contender in a leadership race that will shape the balance of power in the 11th Parliament.
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