By Mulengera Reporters

This Tuesday, DP President Norbert Mao addressed reporters at Party headquarters along Balintuma Road in Mengo, where a journalist’s question prompted him to explain why the majority of the newly-elected NRM MPs want change in the Speaker’s office, and that many of them are convinced he is the person Uganda needs to head the legislature at this point in time.

As DP NEC members who flanked him ululated, Mao said it’s possible he can become the next Speaker even though his party has only 6 MPs. He said he intends to meet President Museveni and impress it on him as to why there would be no harm in his being Party Chairman, ordering his NRM MPs, who are the majority in the 12^th Parliament coming into force in May, to vote for him in the spirit of the NRM-DP cooperation agreement.

Mao said there would be nothing new about this because NRM has previously supported DPs to become EALA MPs, initially Mukasa Mbidde and more recently Gerald Siranda Blacks.

Mao added that Anita Among, the current Speaker, should be humble and have humility while reflecting on the fact that her time to become Speaker of Parliament was to come after 2031, except that circumstances favoured her following Jacob Oulanyah’s death in March 2022 in a Seattle hospital in the US. Mao said that at the time of Oulanyah’s passing, three people were present-himself, CJ Dollo and Anita Among.

“I walked over to her hotel room because we were in the same hotel, and I told her, you have to become Speaker in 2031 but now that your boss is gone, you are going to take it up by the grace of God.” He said he implored Among to be humble as she steps into Oulanya’s shoes. Mao implied that many Ugandans, even on the streets of Kampala, are already telling him to step forward and take up the job now so that he completes what Oulanyah, his very good friend, was unable to finish.

He explained at the Tuesday presser that, much as he can’t be Oulanyah exactly, there is nothing wrong with him getting supported by the President and NRM to become the next Speaker because he was a very close friends with Oulanyah and they both hailed from Acholi, a region which recently gave Museveni 80% of the vote. He says that when he meets Museveni to discuss his potential Speakership, he will be telling him about the Acholi sub-region’s entitlement to produce the next Speaker because if their son Oulanyah hadn’t died, this would still be his term, and not Among’s.

Mao said that Museveni had previously scored 46% in Acholi, which grew to 80% because of his personal role as a leading opinion leader from the sub-region. “I’m always the one who scattered the President’s votes.” He said, having delivered 80% vote from Acholi, he was now entitled to a slice of the political cake on behalf of his people.

Mao said it would be a betrayal for him to disregard the clear hunger and thirst Ugandans have been exhibiting towards having a better-governed Parliament. He said Ugandans want a Parliament where power is institutionalised, unlike today, when the exercise of power at the legislature as an institution has been individualised.

The DP President said he has what it takes to make a good speaker-the good education, deep connections & roots to Ugandans from every region of the country, the experience, the temperament, the emotional intelligence and the international connections. He said his know-how for the job is unrivalled. He predicted the possibility of Ugandan politics becoming more stormy in the coming months and years, making it clear that a stable Speaker like him would come in handy to steer the boat.

He said there is overwhelming support for him to become the next Speaker, both within the population and among the MP-elects who believe this country deserves much better than the current Speaker has offered thus far. Mao reminisced privately speaking with Anita Among at the beginning of his campaigns for the Laroo-Pece MP Seat about his rumoured ambitions for Speakership. “I told her I don’t fear anything when it comes to my political ambition,s and we agreed she will know the truth when the right time for me to pronounce myself comes.”

He said some eminent Ugandans like Andrew Mwenda wanted him to become Speaker of Parliament immediately after Oulanyah’s death. Mwenda demanded that one of the MPs in Acholi resign his seat to pave the way for a by-election, which Mao could win and immediately become the new Speaker. That was as early as March 2022.

Mao said this is all indicative of the extent to which there is massive support for him to become Speaker, which he said he can’t rule out because he believes the country will greatly benefit from his leadership at that level. He added that, given the widespread enthusiasm amongst the newly elected NRM MPs, he is certain to get the job when that time comes.

All this notwithstanding, Mao said there are consultations he was still carrying out with key stakeholders in the country, including NRM top apex leaders such as Gen YK Museveni. He says it will be a betrayal for him to just ignore big people and new MPs who keep calling him on the phone and sending messages calling on him to prepare to run and become the next Speaker.

He said that even when he is motivated by the fact that Ugandans are unanimous in desiring for a more people-centered and accountable Parliament, which can only be guaranteed by an appropriate Speaker like himself, his decision to go public and commence campaigns for the job will have to be preceded by wide consultations, exactly like he did before plunging into campaigns for the Laroo-Pece MP job, which he went on to win very easily on Thursday 15^th January. He insisted that his decision to run will be in the service of national interests and not just personal political ambitions. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).

By Aggrey Baba
NRM Secretary General (SG) Richard Todwong has said the ruling party’s continued electoral dominance is rooted in its grassroots organization, arguing that politics without village-level structures leaves voters with noise instead of leadership.

Speaking during a TV interview on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, Todwong explained that the NRM invested heavily in Local Council One (LC1) structures across the country, ensuring the party had flag bearers and mobilizers in almost every village. He contrasted this with opposition parties that, according to him, failed to sponsor candidates at that level in many areas.

Todwong said this gap means some communities are politically active only during national campaigns, when candidates appear briefly with promises and disappear after voting day, just like rain that falls once and leaves the ground dry again.

According to Todwong, the absence of strong grassroots leadership also shaped the tone of the recent (January 2026) campaigns, with some candidates (mostly, from the opposition) relying more on attacking individuals than presenting clear programmes. He added that when parties lack structures, they often replace ideas with anger, leaving voters with little substance to evaluate.

He explained that the NRM’s political approach is built around addressing collective needs rather than personalizing government. Turning elections into battles between individuals, Todwong warned, weakens institutions and shifts attention away from service delivery, governance and long-term planning.

Todwong also addressed concerns about voter understanding of the electoral process, saying civic education remains weak in many parts of the country. He said many voters still struggle to properly understand ballots, candidate roles and the importance of scrutinising manifestos.

The SG called on the Electoral Commission and other state agencies to intensify voter education, arguing that informed voters are the backbone of meaningful elections. In his view, manifestos should be treated as working documents, not campaign decorations.

On the conduct of the elections, Todwong acknowledged that the NRM faced intimidation of its supporters in some areas but said the party responded by strengthening mobilization and voter awareness, particularly on identifying party symbols and candidates on the ballot.

Reflecting on the election outcome [71% for the president], Todwong said the NRM welcomed the victory, adding that the result was expected given the party’s preparation and nationwide reach. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).