Senior legislator Hon. Martin Ojara Mapenduzi has defended the recent political endorsements linked to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, saying they reflect an established political reality rather than an unusual intrusion into the speakership race for the 12th Parliament.
Speaking on Saturday during an interview on Next Radio, Mapenduzi weighed in on the endorsement of Defence Minister Jacob Oboth Oboth for Speaker and outgoing Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa for Deputy Speaker, positions that have been publicly linked to the Patriotic League of Uganda (Patriotic League of Uganda) leadership structure.
Mapenduzi confirmed his affiliation with the movement, noting that internal communication had already set the direction for members ahead of Parliament’s vote.
“I’m a member of PLU. My number is PO 108. Our organization made a decision, and the chairman of PLU communicated it to us regarding the bid for the Speakership of the 12th Parliament,” he said.
He argued that the growing number of endorsements behind Oboth Oboth signals a coordinated political direction within the ruling establishment and allied networks.
“When you see Oboth Oboth being endorsed for the Speaker of the 12th Parliament; by so many people, it says a lot,” Mapenduzi observed.
His remarks come amid debate over the role of the military establishment in shaping political outcomes, especially following reports that PLU-aligned figures have openly backed preferred candidates ahead of the parliamentary vote scheduled for the new House leadership.
Mapenduzi dismissed concerns that the military should remain entirely detached from political processes, arguing that Uganda’s historical context makes such expectations unrealistic.
“For anybody to think that the army will not get involved in the politics of this country, considering our history as a country, that amounts to some sort of daydreaming,” he said.
While the final decision remains constitutionally vested in Members of Parliament through a vote, the endorsements have already shaped the political temperature around the leadership contest, positioning Oboth Oboth and Tayebwa as front-runners within the ruling establishment’s preferred line-up.