The Deputy President of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), Michael Phillip Lulume Bayigga, has asserted that the ultimate decision on who becomes Speaker of the 12th Parliament rests with President Museveni, underscoring the influence of State House over parliamentary leadership.
Speaking on Sanyuka Morning Xpress on Thursday, Bayigga said that while several candidates in the Speakership race are intelligent and capable, the decisive authority lies “in Nakasero,” a reference to State House.
“The candidates are all intelligent, but the one who holds the key to the Speakership is in Nakasero. In the Speakership race, anything can happen. As long as Mao has the will of President Museveni, he can become Speaker. The owner of the strategy, who is the strategy himself, is the President,” he said.
Buikwe South MP Bayigga said Democratic Party (DP) president and Justice minister Norbert Mao has shown strong confidence despite the DP holding only six parliamentary seats.
Describing the DP as “an annexure in the next stage,” Bayigga emphasized that presidential backing outweighs party numerical strength in determining the outcome.
Reflecting on past parliamentary leadership, Bayigga referenced former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, noting that while she once demonstrated the power of the office, she “did not make it at her prime time.”
He argued that since then, discretion in Parliament has diminished and the President’s will has increasingly prevailed.
However, Bayigga cautioned against electing a Speaker overly aligned with the Executive. He described an ideal Speaker as one who understands Parliament’s independence and can make decisions free from Executive influence, adding that in his view, Mao does not fit that description.
Mao officially declared his bid for Speaker of the 12th Parliament in recent days, announcing that his nationwide consultation phase had concluded.
He said he had gathered sufficient views and support from across the country to inform his decision to contest for the top legislative seat.
Mao pledged that, if entrusted with the office, he would prioritise accountability, transparency, and institutional integrity within Parliament. “The legislature must reclaim its oversight role and ensure that public resources are managed responsibly,” he said.
Despite declaring his candidacy, Mao asked supporters and party members not to actively campaign for him, emphasizing that he possesses the qualifications, experience, and track record necessary for the position.
Weeks earlier, he told journalists in Kampala that the cooperation agreement between the Democratic Party and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) places him at an advantage in the Speakership race, given the NRM’s numerical dominance in the incoming Parliament.
Mao, a former presidential candidate, revealed that several Members of Parliament—including legislators outside the DP—have reached out to him with assurances of support.
Some of his supporters have likened his leadership style to that of the late Jacob Oulanyah, describing him as conciliatory, exceptional, and unifying.
He is one of at least five candidates expressing interest in leading the 12th Parliament. Other contenders include incumbent Speaker Anita Among; Persis Namuganza, MP-elect for Bukono County and State Minister for Housing; Lydia Wanyoto, MP-elect for Mbale City; and Yorke Alioni Odria, MP for Aringa South County—all affiliated with the ruling National Resistance Movement.
