LIST: Oboth, Tayebwa, lead as 19 enter NRM Speakership battle

Kampala, Uganda: The race for leadership of Uganda’s 12th Parliament intensified on Saturday after the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission officially opened expressions of interest for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, attracting 19 aspirants in total.

Speaking to the press at the party headquarters in Kampala, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi confirmed that three legislators have formally expressed interest in the Speakership, while a crowded field of 16 contenders is battling for the Deputy Speaker slot ahead of the decisive Central Executive Committee (CEC) and caucus meetings scheduled for Sunday.

“Following a directive from the Central Executive Committee that sat yesterday, May 22, 2026, directing that we open up expressions of interest for members of the 12th Parliament who are NRM and want to contest for the two positions, this is the outcome,” Dr Tanga said.

The three official NRM aspirants for Speaker are PLU-endorsed Jacob Marksons Oboth Oboth (West Budama Central), Dr Florence Asiimwe Akiiki (Masindi Woman MP) and West Nile’s Yorke Odria Alioni (Aringa South).

However, political attention remains heavily focused on Oboth Oboth, the outgoing State Minister for Defence, whose candidature comes at a time of major political realignments inside the NRM following the withdrawal of outgoing Speaker Anita Among from the race earlier this week amid mounting investigations and internal pressure within the party.

Saturday’s nomination process, however, turned controversial when Bukono County MP Persis Namuganza attempted to join the Speakership race despite not being an official NRM flag bearer.

Dr Tanga said Namuganza, who leans towards the ruling party but contested as an independent, fell outside the party rules governing eligibility.

“For Speakership, there was Hon Namuganza Persis from Bukono constituency in Namutumba who came to express interest outside the rules,” he said. “She’s an NRM-leaning independent. The rules are clear: you must be an NRM flag bearer in Parliament of the 12th Parliament.”

Despite the procedural challenge, Tanga revealed that her documents would still be forwarded to the CEC for guidance. “If it was her oversight, we excuse her. If it was an oversight of God, God is always great,” he added.

Tayebwa in Crowded Deputy Speaker Battle

The fiercest contest has emerged around the Deputy Speaker race, where incumbent Thomas Tayebwa is seeking to retain his seat amid mounting political pressure and shifting alliances within the ruling party.

Tayebwa’s position had recently appeared uncertain following speculation that the NRM leadership was considering balancing the gender equation after Oboth’s emergence as the leading male candidate for Speaker.

However, his bid received a major boost earlier this week after Chief of Defence Forces and PLU Chairman Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly endorsed him for the position following consultations with President Museveni.

Still, Tayebwa faces competition from a formidable lineup that includes seasoned politicians, former ministers and regional power brokers.

All aspirants, according to Dr Tanga, are now expected to appear before the powerful NRM Central Executive Committee on Sunday morning for vetting before the final names are forwarded to the NRM Parliamentary Caucus at State House Entebbe later in the afternoon.

“They will be vetted by the Central Executive Committee tomorrow at 9:00 AM prompt,” he said. “We shall present these names with their summary of CVs, and CEC will give the final answer.”

According to Tanga, CEC retains full authority to either shortlist a few candidates or allow all aspirants to proceed to a vote within the caucus.

“If CEC says we are only taking two names, one for Speaker and another for Deputy, that is the mandate of CEC,” he explained. “If CEC says we are taking all of them to the caucus for election by lining up, that is also the mandate of CEC.”

The NRM caucus meeting is scheduled for 2 pm Sunday at State House Entebbe, with the party expected to unveil its official flag bearers by evening ahead of Parliament’s first sitting on Monday, May 25.