By Henry Okurut
The race for Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament has taken a dramatic turn, with Persis Namuganza reaffirming her bid and injecting fresh uncertainty into an already heated contest marked by political rivalry and sharp exchanges.
Namuganza, an independent legislator who leans toward the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), insists she is still firmly in the race, drawing optimism from recent remarks by President Yoweri Museveni during a meeting in Kyankwanzi.
The President urged restraint among supporters and indicated that all interested candidates would be given an opportunity to present their case, signaling that the contest remains open.
“I am still in the race,” Namuganza said, noting that the President’s intervention halted premature celebrations and created room for further engagement.
She framed her candidacy as reform-driven, citing the need to tackle corruption in Parliament and improve the quality of debate. According to her, Uganda’s legislature must better reflect the competence and diversity of its members.
The speakership contest has also been overshadowed by a deepening feud between Democratic Party President Norbert Mao and incumbent Speaker Anita Among.
The two have traded sharp words in recent days, exposing underlying tensions and raising the stakes in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive race.
At least six candidates have so far expressed interest in the position, four of them from the NRM, alongside Mao representing the Democratic Party and Namuganza as an independent-leaning contender.
This diverse field underscores both the strategic importance of the office and the internal dynamics at play within the ruling party.
Analysts suggest that while the public exchanges point to personal rivalries, the outcome will likely depend on internal party negotiations, regional balancing, and ultimately the position taken by the NRM leadership.
The Speaker’s role, regarded as the third most powerful office in Uganda’s governance structure, makes the contest a significant political moment.
For incumbent Anita Among, the focus remains on defending her record and maintaining stability in Parliament, even as critics push for change. Meanwhile, Mao has positioned himself as a candidate for institutional reform and independence.
With alliances still fluid and campaigns gaining momentum, the race for the Speaker’s chair remains wide open. Whether continuity, reform or political compromise will prevail is the question that now dominates Uganda’s political landscape.
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