Mbidde Rules Out Mao’s Speakership Bid, Cites NRM Tradition and Cooperation Deal Limits

Democratic Party vice president Fred Mukasa Mbidde has cast doubt on Norbert Mao’s bid for Speaker, arguing that existing NRM traditions and the 2022 cooperation agreement with President Museveni offer no pathway for his endorsement, amid escalating political tensions around the race.

Democratic Party vice president Fred Mukasa Mbidde has publicly cautioned party leader Norbert Mao against pursuing the Speakership, arguing that political realities, party agreements, and NRM traditions make his bid unlikely to succeed.

Tensions surrounding the race for Speaker of Parliament continue to intensify, with incumbent Anita Annet Among seeking a second term while Norbert Mao positions himself as a contender for the 12th Parliament.

However, Mbidde has issued a strong warning to Mao, questioning the viability of his ambitions.

“Our party president Norbert Mao wants to become Speaker of the 12th Parliament, but there is no law that guarantees him that opportunity, whether under the Inter-Party Organisation Act or arrangements between NRM and DP,” he said.

“The NRM has its own manifesto and established practices, including allowing Speakers to serve two terms, equivalent to 10 years.”

Mbidde, a legal expert, further urged Mao to revisit the 2022 cooperation agreement signed with President Museveni. He emphasized that the deal does not amount to a merger or coalition that would entitle the Democratic Party to front a candidate for the Speakership under the ruling party’s backing.

“The agreement you signed with NRM is a cooperation arrangement, not a merger or coalition. There is no basis for the NRM to endorse you as its candidate for Speaker,” Mbidde said.

“That is why President Museveni clarified that while the matter was discussed by the Central Executive Committee, individuals are free to express interest.”

Mbidde’s position may offer political relief to Speaker Among, who faces growing pressure as the contest gathers momentum.

It also comes days after Muhoozi Kainerugaba, through his X platform, urged Mao to withdraw from the race and instead await possible appointment to another government position.

Mao’s bid for the Speakership is increasingly shaping up as a destabilising factor within the ruling National Resistance Movement, exposing underlying fault lines as he trades sharp verbal barbs with incumbent Anita Annet Among.

Mao’s assertive entry into the race has unsettled sections of the NRM establishment, particularly those aligned with Among, who view his challenge as both politically disruptive and procedurally unconventional given existing party traditions.

The escalating rhetoric between the two camps is not only personalising the contest but also threatening to widen divisions within the ruling party and its allies, raising concerns that what would typically be a managed internal transition could instead evolve into a broader struggle over influence, loyalty, and the future direction of parliamentary leadership.

The evolving contest highlights shifting alliances and internal tensions within both the ruling National Resistance Movement and its cooperating partners, leaving the final outcome of the Speakership race uncertain.