By Cedric Mwesigwa.
New details have emerged that the Uganda parliament speaker Annet Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa to be declared as having gone through un opposed regarding their 2026 elections parliamentary bid, had to ensure that their opponents could not successfully nominate.
Speaker Among(NRM) was seeking re election for Bukedea district woman Member of Parliament in eastern Uganda, while deputy speaker Tayebwa also NRM, for Ruhinda North in western Uganda . The National Unity Platform(NUP) candidates Florence Asio was Among’s main challenger in Bukedea, while Obert Kato against Tayebwa in Ruhinda North.
Both heads of legislature were declared by the area Electoral Commission (EC) Returning Officers on Thursday 23rd that they had met all the requirements. With Among’s case according to the EC presiding officers, her contender did not turn up until the deadline for nomination exercise lapsed, while with Tayebwa, his had turned up but when he couldnot meet the requirements.
However, it has emerged that the competitor’s efforts of putting up very serious contest against the two senior heads of parliament were frustrated to the point of being forced to miss out the parliamentary nomination, giving Among and Tayebwa an edge to be declared un opposed for 2026-2031 term in office.
Osbert Kato who narrates his ordeal in a recorded video, pins Tayebwa for conniving with the EC officials to illegally block his nomination. Kato says he went to the nomination venue with his forms and supporters and after submitting the documents, he was asked to step out which he did.
The visibly concerned Kato notes that he was later called back inside and returned his academic documents to them, saying they only needed forms with the National Identification Numbers (NINs).
He says the NIN numbers of his seconding supporters began to be examined by the officials until 1 p.m, when they broke off for lunch. Kato insist that, during the lunch break, deputy speaker Tayebwa arrived and he was quickly nominated despite his arrival at the venue earlier than him.
The NUP Rubanda North MP candidate adds that when he was called in upon the return of the officials from lunch, he couldn’t be allowed to enter with either his nominator or seconders.
He pins the EC officials for altering the NIN numbers of his supporters on his forms while declaring them invalid even when he had possibly explored alternative remedy, ending up being locked out to fraudulently favor Tayebwa.
Speaker Among’s Competitor Asio Went Missing.
Despite having been endorsed by her NUP party to challenge Among who was by all signs from onset determined to sail through un opposed, Florence Asio could not make a show at the last day of nomination, resulting into Among’s declaration by EC’s Joel Mugyenyi.
It is alleged that she had been abducted by the security personnel on Among’s orders prior to the nominstion exercise, sparking outrage from some area party members accusing the speaker of deploying the mafia political tricks against whoever that attempt to stage competition against her.
Asio’s endorsement had followed the EC’s disqualification of Marion Mercy Alupo (NUP), Suzan Otai (FDC) and Hellen Akol (independent) on grounds that they were all not legible area voters, a move that was regarded as well arranged to frustrate their candidature.
The NUP’s Bukedea district woman MP candidate’s whereabouts remained unknown during and after the nomination day, and her known phone contacts had been switched off.
Journalists were equally blocked from accsessing the Commissions’s public office when all these dramatic episodes played out.
NUP President Speaks Out.
The party’s principal Bobi Wine in his Friday media address strongly condemned the act, accusing Among and Tayebwa of colluding with the EC officials to illegally undermine the democratic principles.
He revealed that the same tricks were used by the prime minister also the Kakumiro district woman MP Robbina Nabbanja against Allen Mutabazi their candidate who had been fronted against her, vowing that they will possibly challenge the same
Tayebwa and Among in the messgaes posted on their official X accounts attributed their controversial nominations to their unwavering supports from their constituents.
