Democratic Party president-general Norbert Mao has formally written to ruling National Resistance Movement party chairman Yoweri Museveni and Secretary General Richard Todwong requesting that his bid for Speaker of Parliament be discussed during the upcoming NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting and Parliamentary Caucus.
Mao, who also serves as Justice minister under the cooperation agreement signed between the Democratic Party and NRM in 2022, is seeking backing from the NRM despite mixed reactions from members within his own party.
Since joining government through the cooperation agreement, Mao has increasingly aligned himself with the ruling establishment and publicly backed Museveni during the last general election.
The Laroo-Pece Division legislator positioned his Speaker bid as a reform-driven challenge to then Speaker Anita Among, who had initially sought re-election before withdrawing from the race amid mounting corruption, abuse of office and illicit wealth investigations.
The Speaker race has since shifted in favour of West Budama County South MP Jacob Oboth-Oboth, who is increasingly viewed within NRM circles as the preferred candidate for Speaker, while Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa appears set to retain his position.
Speaking earlier this week while defending his candidature, Mao argued that the contest should focus on restoring public confidence in Parliament rather than party affiliation.
“The only thing that in their mind disqualifies me is that I am not NRM,” Mao said.
“They have doubts of my victory not because of what I am, but because of what I am not.”
Mao said Parliament was facing a “crisis of confidence” driven by corruption allegations and growing public frustration with legislators.
“Who can restore the confidence of the citizens of Uganda in Parliament?” he asked.
“You saw what has happened. I’m sure some of you are shocked by the conduct of your Members of Parliament.”
He also defended his decision to contest for the position, saying his candidature had emerged as the strongest challenge to alleged abuse of office within Parliament.
“There was evidence of abuse of office. Everybody condemned the abuse, but nobody threatened to remove the office from the abuser except Norbert Mao,” he said.
Mao insisted his bid was intended to restore institutional credibility rather than advance personal ambition.
“Let us not reduce this discussion to who will win the speakership. The discussion is who will best deliver what the citizens of Uganda want,” he said.
The NRM Parliamentary Caucus is scheduled to meet at State House Entebbe on May 24, ahead of the May 25 election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the 12th Parliament.
In a notice issued earlier this week, Todwong invited all NRM MPs and independent legislators cooperating with the ruling party to attend the caucus meeting.
The meeting comes amid heightened political activity surrounding the leadership of Parliament and ongoing investigations targeting Among’s wealth and conduct while in office.
Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba has publicly backed Oboth-Oboth for Speaker through the Patriotic League of Uganda while endorsing Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker.
NRM currently commands 354 seats in the 12th Parliament, alongside a large bloc of independents largely aligned to the ruling party, giving the caucus significant influence over the outcome of the Speaker election.