The ruling NRM party top leadership under the Central Executive Committee (CEC) are caught between the rock and a hard place on deciding on who should be supported on Nobert Mao and Jacob Oboth -Oboth for the speaker of the Uganda’s next 12th parliament.
This follows the withdrawal of embattled Annet Anita Among the outgoing speaker from the race based on calls by the state authorities, creating a path for an emergency of Oboth-Oboth who had not expressed interest in running for the position from the beginning.
Announcing Oboth-Oboth’s candidature to a section of the NRM party-PLU leaning MPS that gathered at his residence in Mukono recently, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) secretary general Daud Kabanda confirmed that Oboth had been endorsed by the party waiting for the party’s chairperson (president Museveni) final endorsement.
This was however, shortly after contested by some ruling party members with the party’s EC boss Dr. Tanga Odoi, arguing that the party hadn’t forged an official position over the same.
On Friday 22nd, Dr. Odoi went ahead to release the program inviting expression of interest from the speakership and deputy speakership aspirants which will inform the approval of candidates by CEC upon meeting on Sunday May 24th, before the final resolution made by the NRM parliamentary caucus meeting scheduled to take place on the same day.
Through his letter to the NRM party chairperson also the head of state Gen. Museveni dated May 19, 2026, Mao requested that his speakership candidature be considered by the CEC and the parliamentary caucus, based on his DP political alliance with NRM, but also on proper ranking of the strength of each vying candidate in the race.
This according to the reliable sources close to the state power, has placed the NRM party leadership in the very difficult situation to make a choice on the two available options. (Mao and Oboth).
Sources said that what has made it more complicated for the party leadership is an ongoing crack down on Anita Among by the state security agencies over her alleged involvement into corrupt dealings at parliament, noting that if parliament is to be cleaned, Mao is the suitable candidate, considering the fact that Oboth was implicated into the famous iron sheet scandal under which iron sheets for the impoverished people of Karamoja were diverted by several government officials some of whom such as Agnes Nandutu were sentenced to jail.
According to the sources, if Oboth endorsed to be elected the next speaker, it implies that Among’s current mortifications have nothing to do with the alleged corruption dealings but something else, thus making it a born in the throat of the ruling party deciding class.
Sources further exclusively told Blazer News Times that the NRA/NRM ‘s Historicals close ties with Mao is another point of aggravation to the situation, giving him an edge over Oboth, hence leaving deciders in a catch twenty-two situation.
The said Historicals include Gen. Henry Tumukunde, Gen. Salim Saleh, former prime minister John Patrick Amama Mbabazi (JPAM) who is also said to have been assigned his initial role of vetting ministers to be named in the president’s long waited cabinet.
JPAM’s re assumption of the role according to the sources saw an involvement of Mao with other select team members, having spent six months convincing him to accept it, through rigorous meetings.
How the whole game ends, this news Website will keep you updated.
