The Commander of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has urged Democratic Party president Norbert Mao to step down from the increasingly heated race for the Speakership of Parliament, adding a new layer to the growing political tensions within the ruling camp.
Muhoozi’s appeal comes amid a sharp and public fallout between incumbent Speaker Anita Annet Among and Mao, a contest that is rapidly exposing cracks within the National Resistance Movement (NRM) political establishment.
“I respectfully request my big brother, Ladit Mao, not to run for Speaker of Parliament. Please listen to your younger brothernwe can secure better positions,” Muhoozi said.
His remarks follow a fiery exchange between Mao and Among, marked by sharp rhetoric and thinly veiled personal jabs.
Mao, who is positioning himself as a serious contender for the top parliamentary seat, dismissed Among’s earlier comments as both disrespectful and politically misguided.
“This is not just bad politics. It is bad manners,” Mao said, setting the tone for a response laced with metaphor and symbolism.
Framing the NRM as a political “family,” Mao argued that authority and decision-making rest with its leadership not individuals he described as recent entrants.
“Only the head of the family has the final word on who accesses which room in the home. He does not need lectures from a recently adopted child,” Mao said in a pointed remark aimed at Among.
“Above all, when you insult your father’s visitors, you have insulted your father.”
Mao’s comments were a direct rebuttal to Among’s earlier remarks at the ongoing NRM retreat at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi. In her statement, Among likened the Speakership to a private space, warning against political overreach by allies.
“We cooperate with other political parties, but that does not mean you enter my bedroom you remain in the compound. The bedroom this time round is the Speakership,” Among said.
“You cannot cooperate to the tune of the Speakership.”
Despite her confidence in retaining the position, Among now faces mounting pressure as Mao’s entry into the race reshapes the political dynamics, unsettling what had seemed like a predictable contest.
The escalating exchange underscores growing unease within the NRM, turning what has traditionally been an internal and controlled process into a highly visible and contested political battle.
Meanwhile, President Yoweri Museveni has sought to calm the situation, offering guidance that could significantly influence the outcome.
Addressing legislators at the Kyankwanzi retreat, Museveni clarified that recommendations by the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) are not binding, effectively opening the race to broader consultation within the party.
“Regarding the issue of standing for Speaker, that is a matter we shall discuss at the appropriate time. CEC had earlier recommended maintaining the current arrangement, but this remains a recommendation,” Museveni said.
His remarks signal that the final decision will rest with the NRM parliamentary caucus, a move that has emboldened aspirants and intensified behind-the-scenes lobbying.
The President’s intervention followed concerns raised by Aringa County MP Yorke Alioni Odria, who called for fairness and transparency in determining candidates for the top parliamentary offices.
Museveni’s position appears to have eased some tensions while simultaneously energizing challengers who oppose the automatic retention of the current leadership, including Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
The Speakership race now features a crowded field, with contenders including Anita Among, Norbert Mao, Yorke Odria, Lydia Wanyoto, Florence Akiiki, and Persis Namuganza.
As the Kyankwanzi retreat continues, questions of discipline, internal democracy, and political hierarchy are taking center stage turning the Speakership contest into one of the most defining and hard-fought battles within the NRM ahead of the 12th Parliament.
