Kampala, Uganda: The NRM Revolutionary Network (NRN) Saturday held what it described as a “constructive consultative meeting” with Hon. Lydia Wanyoto Mutende, the newly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Mbale City and aspiring Speaker of the 12th Parliament, in a development that adds momentum to the unfolding Speakership contest within the ruling party.
In a press statement dated Saturday, February 21, 2026, the NRN said the engagement with Wanyoto is “part of the Network’s ongoing consultations with political leaders and governance stakeholders to gather perspectives on strengthening Uganda’s institutional framework ahead of the next parliamentary term.”
During the discussions, Wanyoto outlined her rationale for contesting the Speakership, emphasizing her belief in “a people-centred Parliament anchored in discipline, accountability, and service delivery”
She further articulated a vision of a legislative institution that “prioritizes national interest over individual ambition, strengthens oversight without hostility, and restores public confidence in parliamentary processes”
Wanyoto, according to the statement, emphasized “the importance of structured leadership within Parliament, ideological clarity among legislators, and fostering cohesion” to enable the House to effectively support wealth creation initiatives and national development programs.
While the meeting has sparked political interest, the NRN was careful to distance itself from outright endorsement.
“The NRN strongly clarifies that its consultative meetings are not endorsement drives for candidates aspiring for elective positions, but avenues to gather perspectives that enrich national discourse on institutional strengthening,” the statement notes.
The Network also reiterated that parliamentary leadership processes “should reflect broad-based participation and institutional consensus-building to strengthen legitimacy and unity within the majority caucus before plenary voting in the August House”
The engagement comes at a critical moment as the NRM prepares for internal consultations ahead of the election of the Speaker of the 12th Parliament, expected in May.
Within the ruling party, the Speakership race is shaping up as a test of ideological alignment, caucus cohesion and influence within party structures. Strategic engagements such as this signal that candidates are actively seeking to consolidate support among key ideological and mobilization platforms within the movement.
For Wanyoto, the NRN meeting provides an opportunity to project her candidacy as reform-oriented and anchored in discipline and institutional strengthening, themes that resonate strongly within sections of the NRM base.
For the NRN, the consultations reinforce its relevance as a platform positioning itself around systems-based leadership, ideological clarity and long-term stability within the party.
As the battle for the Speaker’s chair gathers pace, engagements of this nature are likely to shape the tone of the contest, moving it beyond personalities toward debates about parliamentary discipline, oversight style and the future direction of legislative leadership under the NRM majority.
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