Maverick Ministers Defy Museveni to Topple Among

A power play for the ages: Justice Minister Norbert Mao and Speaker Anita Among. Once unlikely allies under President Museveni’s big tent, the two now find themselves on a collision course as Mao signals his intent to seize the speaker’s gavel. With the 12th Parliament on the horizon, the question remains: will the NRM’s cooperation pact with Mao be enough to topple the incumbent, or will Among’s grip on the House prove unbreakable?

KAMPALA, Uganda — The race for speaker of the 12th Parliament has intensified as five candidates, including Cabinet ministers and opposition leaders, launched bids to unseat incumbent Anita Among ahead of the May elections.

Justice Minister Norbert Mao, the Democratic Party president and lawmaker-elect for Laroo-Pece Division, officially entered the contest yesterday. Mao said the legislature requires a leader who can balance the boat during a critical five-year term.

Mao joins a field that includes Among, the Bukedea District Woman MP; Yorke Odria Alioni, Aringa South MP; Lydia Wanyoto, Mbale City Woman MP; and Persis Namuganza, the housing state minister and Bukono County MP-elect.

Political analysts said the challengers face a steep climb against the ruling National Resistance Movement, which holds more than 400 of the 529 seats in Parliament. The NRM Central Executive Committee resolved Jan. 27 to back the continuity of Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.

Dr. Yusuf Sserunkuma, a political researcher, said many contenders may be seeking political visibility or executive appointments from President Yoweri Museveni rather than a realistic path to the speakership.

Political theorist Robert Kigongo described the current field as cosmetic. He said only a bid by Tayebwa could cause a serious tectonic shift in the race.

Mao acknowledged the challenge, comparing his bid to the biblical battle of David and Goliath. He said he has written to Museveni regarding the move, noting the existing cooperation agreement between the DP and the NRM.

I am asking the MPs whether they think my election as speaker will be an improvement in Parliament or not, Mao said at a news conference at DP headquarters. If it’s not an improvement, they should not support me.

Alioni, who launched his campaign at the Kampala Serena Hotel, said his candidacy is centered on parliamentary accountability. He alleged that more than 50% of the legislative budget is controlled by invisible hands.

Despite the NRM leadership’s endorsement of Among, other party members remain defiant. Wanyoto argued that the party’s official candidate should be decided by a delegates’ conference rather than a committee resolution. She noted it has been 30 years since a representative from the Bugisu sub-region held the post.

Namuganza also dismissed the committee’s resolution as nonbinding for other candidates. She said her bid is rooted in a conviction that the House can be stronger and more united.

Among has remained dismissive of the competition. In a recent interview, she noted that Mao’s party holds only six seats in the House.

My brother Norbert also has the disadvantage of leading a party that secured only six seats, Among said. He would face the uphill task of facing a duo that will carry the flag of a political party with over 400 MPs.

Among has previously stated she intends to serve one more five-year term before backing Tayebwa to succeed her in 2031.

Under Article 82 of the Constitution, the speaker and deputy speaker are elected by members of Parliament from among their ranks. The speaker serves as the head of the legislature, chairs the Parliamentary Commission and oversees the committee on appointments.