Political strategist Egesa Ronald has stirred debate with claims that Uganda’s ongoing speakership contest reflects a broader internal power realignment within the country’s leadership structures, involving the ruling establishment and the military elite.
His remarks come after reports that Parliament Speaker Anita Among has effectively bowed out of the speakership race for the next parliamentary term, following political pressure and shifting endorsements linked to the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a pressure group associated with Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Among had initially been considered a strong contender for retention in the speakership position, alongside Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa.
However, PLU later withdrew its earlier endorsement, instead aligning behind other candidates, a move that significantly altered the parliamentary leadership contest.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has increasingly used his social media platforms to signal political preferences, later publicly endorsed Defence Minister Jacob Oboth-Oboth for Speaker and separately backed Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker.
The announcements were widely interpreted as an indication of shifting influence within ruling circles ahead of the 2026–2031 parliamentary cycle.
In a statement shared by Egesa Ronald, the strategist linked these developments to broader succession politics, alleging that Uganda is witnessing a gradual consolidation of power involving the “first family” and key state institutions.
He stated:
“The bloodless military coup currently taking place in Uganda is a slightly improved version of the 2017 coup that ousted ZANU-PF Supremo Cde. Robert Gabriel Mugabe. In both, there is a careless show-off of a woman hanging on the coattails of power.
The much anticipated appointment of a new Vice President in the next few days will shift the needle closer to the finish line of the coup.”
The remarks have not been independently verified and reflect the analyst’s political interpretation of recent developments.
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who currently serves as Chief of Defence Forces, was appointed to the position in March 2024 by President Yoweri Museveni after previously serving as senior presidential adviser for special operations.
His elevation marked a significant moment in Uganda’s military leadership structure, further intensifying speculation around long-term succession planning.
President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has not publicly indicated a formal transition timeline, though discussions around leadership succession have continued to dominate political discourse within ruling and opposition circles.
The unfolding speakership race, coupled with high-level endorsements and internal party realignments, has now become a focal point in Uganda’s broader political conversation, with analysts divided over whether the changes represent routine political positioning or a deeper structural shift within the state.