Queries as Norbert Mao ‘smuggles’ wife Beatrice to NRM Kyankwanzi retreat

Questions have been raised about why Beatrice was present at a retreat designed for legislators and invited political actors.

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao raised eyebrows after reports emerged that he travelled with his wife, Beatrice Mao, to the National Leadership Institute, Kyankwanzi, where the National Resistance Movement parliamentary retreat opened on Tuesday.

Images circulated last night showing Beatrice arriving at the institute.

Former government spokesman Ofwono Opondo was first to post the pictures with the caption: “APPARENTLY SMUGGLED INTO NALI Kyankwanzi TONIGHT.”

The retreat is being held at NALI from April 7 to April 15, 2026 and is meant to orient newly elected NRM MPs, returning legislators and NRM-leaning independents on ideology, governance and national priorities.

The party says the programme is being conducted under the theme of aligning NRM leaders to protect the country’s gains and accelerate Uganda’s move towards higher middle-income status

Questions have now been raised about why Beatrice was present at a retreat designed for legislators and invited political actors.

Unlike her husband, who signed a cooperation agreement with the NRM in 2022 while remaining president general of the Democratic Party, Beatrice has no known affiliation with the ruling party.

Norbert Mao's wife Beatrice was photographed arriving at the NRM retreat in Kyankwanzi on Tuesday

She is the Democratic Party’s former flag bearer for the Kampala Lord Mayor raceMao publicly defended his attendance at the retreat saying he had accepted the invitation from what he called the NRM’s “sister party”.

He later explained that his reason for attending was not the contest for Speaker, but the importance of orienting members of the incoming 12th Parliament.

Mao said the retreat was intended to help legislators understand their responsibilities and the national task before them. He also said he expected to learn from presentations by the President and experts in economics, media, technology, agriculture, security and diplomacy.

“The purpose of this retreat is to ensure that the members of the incoming 12th parliament get a real sense of what their responsibility is,” Mao said in a video message before departing for Kyankwanzi.

Still, Beatrice’s appearance at the retreat has fuelled fresh political chatter, not least because spouses are not commonly known to form part of the official delegation to such caucus gatherings.