The race for Speaker of Uganda’s Parliament has taken a sharper political turn after Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba declared that support from the Patriotic League Uganda will strictly follow President Yoweri Museveni’s position, signalling that the ultimate decision may rest with the Head of State.
Speaking on the unfolding contest between Justice Minister Norbert Mao and incumbent Speaker Anita Among, Muhoozi stated that all MPs aligned to the Patriotic League Uganda will back whichever candidate is endorsed by President Museveni, who also serves as Commander-in-Chief.
“In the battle for Speaker of Parliament, all PLU MPs and PLU-leaning MPs will vote for whoever the President and Commander-in-Chief endorses. We shall support Mzee’s position,” Muhoozi said.
He further added that internal party dynamics within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) will not override presidential authority, insisting that loyalty would be directed solely to Museveni’s final decision.
“Whether Anita or Mao or whoever, the will of Mzee will prevail,” he stated, reinforcing the perception that the contest is less about parliamentary competition and more about executive influence.
Muhoozi also downplayed the role of the NRM Central Executive Committee in determining the outcome, saying the PLU does not necessarily align itself with the party’s internal structures when it comes to strategic political decisions.
“PLU supports whatever position President Museveni takes and we do not listen to NRM’s CEC,” he added.
The remarks come as the Speakership race intensifies between Anita Annet Among, the current Speaker seeking to retain her seat, and Norbert Mao, who has positioned himself as a challenger within the ruling establishment despite serving in Cabinet as Justice Minister.
The contest has already exposed internal political fault lines within the ruling ecosystem, with competing camps backing different candidates while emphasising loyalty to party structures or the presidency.
The Patriotic League Uganda, which Muhoozi leads as a political mobilization platform, has increasingly been viewed as a parallel power structure influencing emerging political alignments within the ruling order.
The Speakership decision is expected to be one of the key early political tests of the new Parliament, with observers noting that the outcome could shape legislative-executive relations over the coming term.