Kampala, Uganda: Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has publicly endorsed Jacob Oboth-Oboth for Speaker of Parliament, dramatically escalating the battle for leadership of the incoming 12th Parliament.
Oboth-Oboth, the elected Member of Parliament for West Budama Central and outgoing Minister for Defence, received the endorsement through a series of explosive posts published by Gen Muhoozi on X on Friday morning.
“He has been the best Minister in our government for the past 5 years. I want to be the first to endorse him for Speaker of Parliament (2026-2031). God bless Hon. Oboth-Oboth!” Gen Kainerugaba posted.
“Those who do not accept our decisions risk arrest,” the army chief warned.
Oboth’s endorsement immediately triggered intense political debate and speculation, further deepening uncertainty surrounding the race for Speaker ahead of the first sitting of the 12th Parliament on May 25.
Muhoozi also appeared to declare that the Speakership contest had already been decided within influential power circles. “There is no Speakership battle. Our God, Jesus Christ, won that battle a long time ago. We already have our new Speaker. Supported by UPDF!” he said.
The CDF further signalled a preference for a male Speaker, remarks widely interpreted as targeting incumbent Speaker Anita Annet Among. “We have already made our decision on the new Speaker (a man). Men were born to lead. That’s the natural order of things,” Muhoozi wrote.
At the same time, Gen Muhoozi appeared to distance Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa from the growing political storm surrounding Among. “Hon. Tayebwa is a very good man. He is my younger brother. He has no problems. He is protected!” Muhoozi stated.
The comments came only days after the Patriotic League of Uganda, which Muhoozi leads, on Tuesday withdrew its earlier support for Among and Tayebwa in the parliamentary leadership race.
The intervention of the CDF, a known fighter of corruption, follows widespread public criticism surrounding reports that Speaker Among acquired a Rolls-Royce allegedly valued at approximately Shs3.4 billion and imported from the United Kingdom.
The luxury vehicle controversy has dominated national political discussion after images circulated widely online, with critics questioning the timing amid growing economic hardship and rising living costs.
Muhoozi directly referenced the matter in one of his most shared posts. “I have been Mzee’s son for 52 years, but I have never sat in a Rolls-Royce ever. I don’t think Mzee has sat in one either,” he wrote.
He further called for reduced parliamentary expenditure, saying public resources should instead support struggling Ugandans.
“PLU believes in the reduction of ANY monies sent to Parliament. We believe in redirecting that money to the millions of Ugandans living in shacks, with no water or power,” he added.
Political observers say Muhoozi’s remarks represent one of the clearest indications yet that the Speakership contest has evolved into a broader internal power struggle within the ruling establishment.
The Patriotic League of Uganda, increasingly associated with Muhoozi’s political mobilization efforts, claims support from hundreds of MPs and MPs-elect, particularly younger legislators aligned to his “Tuko Pamoja” messaging.
Meanwhile, Oboth-Oboth, the PLU preferred candidate, is widely viewed as one of government’s most trusted security and political insiders.
As Defence Minister, he has played a central role in Uganda’s regional security engagements and military affairs while maintaining close links to both State House and security circles.
Oboth-Oboth previously expressed interest in the Speakership race in 2021 before the ruling National Resistance Movement endorsed the late Jacob Oulanyah for Speaker and Anita Among for Deputy Speaker.
The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the 12th Parliament are expected to be elected on May 25, 2026, after the completion of the ongoing MPs’ swearing-in exercise, setting the stage for what is shaping into one of Uganda’s most dramatic parliamentary leadership contests in recent years.
By press time, the ruling National Resistance Movement Secretariat and the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) had not yet issued an official communication on the Speakership race.
However, political insiders expect that once a preferred candidate is agreed upon, with Jacob Oboth-Oboth now emerging strongly after Gen Muhoozi’s endorsement, the name will be forwarded to the NRM Parliamentary Caucus for formal endorsement before being presented to the 12th Parliament for election on May 25.
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